The constant hit-by-pitches in recent MLB games have caused everything from serious brawls between teams to injuries to different players, which is why it has become a topic of enormous relevance for the league.
One of the best examples of this trend in Major League Baseball was the game between the Dodgers and the Padres, which ended with the managers of both teams, Dave Roberts and Mike Shildt, facing each other.
This has been a topic of great interest to MLB, as on many occasions it seems that these pitches are not intentional, which raises the question of what is causing them.
Why are there so many home runs in baseball today?
The statistics on the subject are relentless and leave no doubt about the upward trend of this phenomenon, since 1901 the seasons with the most hit by pitches have been in the last eight years, with 2020, 2023, 2021, 2024, 2022, 2019, 2025 and 2018 being the years with the highest figures.
Until 2017, a rate of 0.8 hit-by-pitches per game had never been reached, whereas now, that number has become commonplace.
This trend has forced hitters to better protect their wrist area by using special guards to prevent possible injuries. As for the answer to why the increase in hit-by-pitches in the league would be the new pitching approach.
Pitching approach in recent seasons
Today, the trend is to focus on pitch shaping, that is, modifying the shape and spin of pitches and this has led to greater use of sinkers or pitches that sink, toward the glove side and cutters toward the opposite side, which often swerve and end up hitting batters.
“Pitchers don’t throw inside as much as they used to, and when they do, they don’t always have the same control,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy explained. “Those high-and-inside pitches, when they get away, are the most dangerous.”
Are batters responsible for being hit by pitches?
Although many hits are unintentional, some players have pointed out that batters are adopting stances that put them at risk. This is the case of Angels shortstop Zach Neto, who was recently hit for the second time in two years by the same pitcher, Hunter Brown. After the incident, Brown argued that Neto’s proximity to the plate made him more susceptible.
In addition, the use of body protection has also reduced the fear of being hit, which makes hitters lean more towards the pitch to better cover the plate.
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