Pitching enthusiasts around the world are lining up to showcase their talents inMLB The Show 24, and the competition is as fierce as ever. Crafting an arsenal of five pitches to fool batters and mix things up between high-velocity throws and slowed-down curves will be the key to striking out the opposition.
Whether it’s claiming prestige in Road To The Show or competing in the Diamond Dynasty mode, players inMLB The Show 24will find easier success by utilizing a pitcher’s strengths and preparing them with the right pitches. It’s a daunting task to come up with the perfect rotation of pitches, but these suggestions will help with building a formidable pitcher.
Best Breaking Ball Pitches
Slider (86 MPH)
In baseball, no pitch strikes out more than theslider, thanks to its lateral movement and slight dip once it reaches the plate. This pitch alone is already fooling manybatters inMLB The Show 24, and should be considered as a lock for one of the five pitches. It has decent speed and the curvature makes this pitch a staple in the rotation.
Slurve (82 MPH)
Theslurveworks as an excellent counterpart to the slider, as the downwards curve is more drastic. The slowing down of this pitch, compared to the slider, will trick many into believing a slider is coming their way, only to swing wildly at a slowed-down version. This 1-2 combo will earn pitchers some quick strikeouts in no time.
Best Offspeed Pitches
Splitter (87 MPH)
Splittersare an example of a pitch that can be deadly in the right hand. Some may shy away from including the splitter in their arsenal, but it will have many batters guessing wrong upon swinging their bat. It’s slower than the trusty fastball and will change trajectory when crossing the plate, forcing the batter to react quickly.
Forkball (87 MPH)
An alternative to the splitter is theforkball, which carries the same speed but reduces the velocity in order to increase the drop while crossing the plate. ThisMLB The Show 24pitchhas the pitcher moving their index finger away from the middle finger, changing the trajectory and angle of the drop while maintaining its trickery of appearing like a fastball.
Best Fastball Pitches
Sinker (89 MPH)
The obvious choice for fastball may be to rely on the two-seam or four-seam fastball, but hold off on that thought. Without the properequipment inMLB The Show 24, these two pitches may come off as predictable. Instead, lean towards thesinker, which slows down velocity and can make any off-plate pitch look dangerous.
Cutter (92 MPH)
For those absolutely stubborn to include one of the two aforementioned fastballs, thecutteris a perfect alternative that mixes both the four-seam fastball and slider into one. It also carries a higher speed than the sinker, which could be the better choice for pitchers with a higher velocity rating.
