Very early command sub-indicator surgers, 2025

It's still risky to put significant stock into early-season skills, especially aggregate measures like strikeouts and walks. But looking into the components that drive them can be a helpful early-season exercise, since they represent larger sample sizes.

These starting pitchers have increased their swinging strike rates the most from 2024 to 2025 (min 20 IP each season):

  20242025Δ
NameLgSwK%FpK%Ball%SwK%FpK%Ball%SwK%FpK%Ball%
Max MeyerNL10.3%60%38%15.4%61%34%5.1%1%-4%
Luis L. OrtizAL8.9%61%35%13.1%63%35%4.2%3%0%
Jameson TaillonNL8.5%66%34%12.6%75%33%4.1%9%-1%
Justin VerlanderNL9.2%58%35%13.2%66%35%4.0%7%0%
Kyle FreelandNL7.9%66%33%11.7%66%29%3.8%0%-4%
Cristopher SanchezNL11.3%66%32%15.1%71%34%3.8%5%2%
Gavin WilliamsAL10.4%63%36%14.0%51%37%

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