These are the nastiest pitches of the first half of the season

Every pitch matters.

That might be a simplistic analysis, but it's the basic premise of Statcast's Run Value system, which helped determine some of the top pitches of the first half of the 2026 season. Run values look at the run impact of an event based on the runners on base, outs, ball and strike count. Why use run values when looking at the top pitches?

When you're using whiff rate, you're only looking at pitches that were swung at. When you're looking at batting average or wOBA, it's only looking at pitches that decide a plate appearance. Even strikeouts are just a subset of pitches thrown with two strikes that got a certain result. Run value essentially puts a positive or negative impact on every pitch and adjusts for the context -- like how many runners were on base or what the count was.

These are eight of the best individual pitch types in the Majors as of the All-Star break, along with the run value they've provided. Since it was a close call, or even a tie, on many pitches, there was a preference for pitches that had good underlying numbers (whiffs, wOBA) or similar results in fewer pitches thrown.

Jacob Misiorowski (MIL), four-seamer (+21 Run Value)
Runner-up: Parker Messick (CLE), Justin Wrobleski (LAD)
This isn’t much of a surprise, is it? The Miz’s record-shattering fastball has been one of the best stories in baseball in the first half. Misiorowski’s four-seamer averages 101.5 mph and has reached as fast as 105.5 mph, the fastest pitch thrown by a starting pitcher in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008). In fact, he’s thrown the 50th-fastest pitches by a starter since ‘08. Misiorowski has struck out 113 batters on his four-seamer, the most punchouts on any pitch type in the Majors by a sizable margin. The next-closest pitch is Cristopher Sánchez's 85 strikeouts on changeups (more on that pitch later).

Nolan McLean (NYM), sinker (+19 Run Value)
Runner-up: Tyler Rogers (TOR)
McLean’s high-spin breaking balls might grab more headlines, but the sinker is his bread-and-butter offering. The Mets’ ace relies on his mid-90s sinker more than any other pitch (33.9 percent) and opposing hitters haven’t done much against it, posting a measly .173 batting average against. McLean has generated tons of strikeouts (42) and ground balls (54.8 percent) on his sinker, which is the best of its type by a lot.

Jacob deGrom (TEX), slider (+15 Run Value)
Runner-up: Dylan Cease (TOR), Reid Detmers (LAA), Chase Burns (CIN)
deGrom has been excellent yet again, posting a 3.49 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 18 starts as a 38-year-old. The upper-90s fastball is still his most utilized pitch and sets up his other secondaries, but deGrom’s slider has once again been his most dominant offering. Sitting at 91 mph, deGrom’s slider has produced 55 strikeouts and a .150 average against it. Opposing hitters are swinging and missing on roughly four out of every 10 swings against the pitch.

Shohei Ohtani (LAD), sweeper (+13 Run Value)
Runner-up: Jesús Luzardo (PHI), Anthony Bender (MIA)
Ohtani’s having a career-best season on the mound with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings. It’s a crowded field for the NL Cy Young Award, but this could be Ohtani’s best case for taking home those honors. Pretty much everything that comes out of Ohtani’s hand is nasty, but the sweeper has been his top offering. Averaging 85 mph, Ohtani’s sweeper has generated 32 strikeouts and a measly .176 SLG against. Opposing hitters have just 11 hits against Ohtani’s sweeper and four extra-base hits (all doubles).

Foster Griffin (WSH), cutter (+13 Run Value)
Runner-up: Chad Patrick (MIL), Sandy Alcantara (MIA), Jacob Misiorowski (MIL)
There are plenty of players responsible for the Nationals’ emergence again, but Griffin’s success might be the most unexpected. After spending three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, Griffin signed a one-year pact with the Nats over the offseason, and has promptly posted a 2.77 ERA with 109 strikeouts in 19 starts, earning him his first All-Star selection. The left-hander throws a cutter 32.2 percent of the time, the most of Griffin’s seven pitches. Opposing hitters have a measly .184 average against the pitch.

Ben Brown (CHC), curveball (+13 Run Value)
Runner-up: Braxton Ashcraft (PIT), Scott Barlow (ATH/KC)
Brown has been sidelined since June 25 with a neck strain -- and it’s unclear when he’ll return -- but he was the Cubs' best pitcher up until that point (1.85 ERA in 68 innings). And a big part of that success stemmed from his dominant curveball, which sits around 87 mph with a good movement profile. The Cubs’ right-hander generated 42 strikeouts on the curveball and an elite 44.3 percent whiff rate. It’s a shame his breakout season has taken a pause and hopefully his nasty curveball will be back on the field soon.

Cristopher Sánchez (PHI), changeup (+12 Run Value)
Runner-up: Shane McClanahan (TB), Walbert Ureña (LAA)
Sánchez has made a meteoric rise in the last few seasons, finishing second in NL Cy Young Award voting last season and starting the Midsummer Classic this season for the hometown Phillies. The left-handed ace relies on a mid-90s sinker, a slider and a devastating changeup that has blossomed as one of baseball’s top pitches. Sánchez’s changeup has produced 215 strikeouts since last season, by far the most of any single pitch type -- Chris Sale’s slider is next at 181 punchouts.

Nathan Eovaldi (TEX), splitter (+10 Run Value)
Runner-up: David Bednar (NYY)
Eovaldi has slowly ramped up his splitter usage over the years, to the point that it’s become his most utilized pitch the last two seasons -- he’s also throwing it a career-high 36.7 percent of the time this year. The Rangers’ right-hander has produced 58 strikeouts on the splitter and a 35.1 percent whiff rate. Opposing hitters are batting just .191 against Eovaldi’s splitter.