Throwers have never thrown harder than they do in modern baseball, where radar gun stats now routinely hit triple digits. These are the MLB’s toughest pitchers in the 2022 season, based on average fast ball speed according to Fangraphs.com.
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Duran is the only pitcher in the MLB to average more than 100 mph with his fast ball, and he’s the unsurpassed painkiller for Minnesota. He has a 2.81 ERA and 36/4 K/BB in 25.2 turns with four saves.
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Graterol continued to throw screaming sinking ships, averaging 99.8 mph. He still struggled to miss the bats with just 22 shots in 26.1 innings, and resulted in a 4.44 ERA.
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Clase has emerged as an elite closer to his 99.7 mph submersible. Guardian Painkiller had 10 saves with 1.93 ERA and 27/4 K/BB in 23.1 turns.
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Back from Tommy John surgery this season, Munoz has struggled with greatness. He has a 5.31 ERA in 22 appearances but has a fast ball speed averaging 99.7 mph.
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Helsley has added more pace this season, averaging 99.0 mph and is flashing as part-time draws closer in St. Louis. He has an elite 0.39 ERA and 32/6 K/BB in 23.1 innings with four saves.
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A closer friend than before, Hicks served as a starting pitcher for the Cardinals before he was included on the injured list with an arm injury. The more extended role doesn’t stop him from averaging 98.8 mph with his fast ball, but he does have an ERA of 5.02 with 20 walks in 28.2 innings.
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Alvarado’s poor control has been his best point this season, with a 7.62 ERA in 13 innings partly due to 10 walks. The left hand still shows superior speed, averaging 98.8 mph with his fast ball.
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Diaz continues to be one of the game’s best finishers, with 11 saves with a 2.28 ERA in 23.2 innings. His fast ball has averaged 98.7 mph this season, and Diaz has hit 43 shots.
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Doval continued to fill in superbly as San Francisco got closer, with a 2.92 ERA and eight saves in 24.2 innings. He warmed up with a fast ball at an average speed of 98.7 mph.
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Stanek has performed well as a striker for Houston. His fast ball speed averaged 98.7 mph and he had an ERA of 0.95 in 19 innings.
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Greene’s velocity was somewhat inconsistent during his rookie campaign, averaging triple digits at some starts and significantly less velocity in others. He has a 5.40 ERA despite 72 strikes in 55 innings, averaging 98.5 mph with his fast ball.
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Strider spent the start of the season in Atlanta’s barn before moving on to the starting rotation and has averaged 98.4 mph with his fast ball. This rookie has done his job very well, with a 2.35 ERA and 57 strikes in 38.1 innings.
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Bautista looks like a closer future for the Orioles, with a fast 98.3 mph sphere plus slider and splitter. He has an ERA of 1.88 in 24 appearances.
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Soto shined as Detroit got closer this season, posting an ERA of 1.71 in 21 plays. The left-wing fast ball hit an average speed of 98.2 mph.
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Castro threw more slips than fast balls, but his fast ball speed still averaged 98 mph. He has a 3.06 ERA in 17.2 plays for the Yankees.
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Bender served as Miami closer when healthy, averaging 98 mph. He is currently on the injury list but has posted an ERA of 4.50 in 16 appearances.
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Abreu has been a key part of Houston’s dominant bullpen with a 2.59 ERA and 34 strikes in 24.1 innings. His fast ball speed averages 97.9 mph.
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18. Luis Garcia, RP, Padres
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Not to be confused by the Astros starting pitcher of the same name, Garcia added some speed last year and didn’t look bad. He averaged 97.9 mph on his fast ball with 2.53 ERAs and 22 hits in 21.1 innings.
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Bard performed better than the closer Colorado, with a 2.31 ERA and 12 saves in 22 appearances. The 37-year-old is still throwing bullets, at an average speed of 97.8 mph, at his fast ball.
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Lopez rose to the role closer to the letter O, averaging 97.8 mph. He has a 0.96 ERA in 24 appearances with seven saves.
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The Yankees’ Ace continues to thrive this season. He has an ERA of 3.63 and 84 hits in 67 innings, with an average fast ball speed of 97.7 mph.
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Hendriks is one of the game’s best and highest-paid actors. He averaged 97.7 mph, hit a 2.81 ERA in 25.2 turns and led the AL with 16 saves.
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Alcantara became a real power thrower and a horse for the Marlins. His fast ball speed averages 97.7 mph and he leads the NL with 83.2 plays. Alcantara also has an ERA of 1.61 and 77 attacks.