Breaking Down the Top MLB Hitters By Pitch Type
Sliders
Leave a slider up and, more times than not, these guys will make a pitcher pay for it.
| Name | Team | wSL | wSL/C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Trout | Angels | 8.50 | 5.75 |
| Michael Conforto | Mets | 7.20 | 5.61 |
| Justin Bour | Marlins | 5.50 | 5.16 |
| Buster Posey | Giants | 6.60 | 5.05 |
| Joe Panik | Giants | 4.60 | 4.98 |
| Robbie Grossman | Twins | 4.00 | 4.92 |
| Leury Garcia | White Sox | 3.10 | 4.88 |
| Jake Lamb | Diamondbacks | 5.40 | 4.82 |
| Bryce Harper | Nationals | 4.20 | 4.61 |
| Corey Dickerson | Rays | 4.80 | 4.10 |
Mike Trout will be relegated to the dugout for quite some time after undergoing surgery on his thumb, but before the injury, he was the premier killer of unexecuted sliders. He'd produced the most runs per 100 pitches, while racking up 16 home runs and 36 RBIs on a .337 average.
Again, Michael Conforto comes in a close second, which illustrates the strong season he's having for the New York Mets.
Justin Bour and Buster Posey are the two other hitters with a value of 5.0 or better on sliders. Two young lefties, Harper and Jake Lamb, have also been particularly effective in turning sliders into runs.
