Which pitchers throw a knuckleball

Dickey transitioned to a knuckleball grip a few years into their MLB career. From — , R. A Dickey would consistently yield a 1. After experimenting with the knuckleball grip, he reduced that WHIP to around 1. The addition of the knuckleball to this arsenal was able to rejuvenate and prolonged his career in the big leagues.

As of , four primary knuckleball pitchers are in the Baseball Hall of Fam e today. All four of these pitchers had a baseball WHIP below 1. The one current player throwing a knuckleball as their primary pitch in is Minor Leaguer, Steven Wright.

Steven Writer is a pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league roster. However, Danny Mendick of the Chicago White Sox, an infielder, did throw a few knucklers this year via their 1st career pitching appearance during a blowout game. There are two primary reasons why a knuckleball pitcher is uncommon in baseball today. The first reason is that throwing a knuckleball is challenging to master and control.

While the benefit of learning the pitch can prolong your career and be effective, throwing the pitch itself is more complex, especially making it effective to MLB hitters. Just like that link at the top of the article from The Atlas , the average MLB fastball continues to increase year over year. Teams look for pitchers to throw harder, so teams shift their focus on pitch type and more about pitch speed. Pitchers throw knuckleballs when it becomes a compelling pitch for them to get batters out.

Since the pitch is slow and the strain on the arm is not bad, some pitchers have made a career out of the tricky throw. Charlie Hough and Tom Candiotti delighted Dodgers fans and frustrated opposing batters with knucklers. After a Cardinals pitcher had to change his cap because it was sticky, Dave Roberts discusses the widespread use of substances that enhance grip. The knuckleball pitcher has vanished from the major leagues, an artifact like paper tickets and contact hitters. Of the men to throw a pitch in the majors this season through Wednesday, according to Fangraphs, only four have thrown a knuckleball — and all four were position players.

In this generation, the art of pitching has evolved from making batters mis-hit the ball to making batters miss the ball entirely. The art of hitting has evolved into big swings, with strikeouts considered more of a side effect than an actual problem. According to Baseball Savant, 22 pitchers this season average at least 90 mph on their change ups , 14 on their sliders.

Hitting is largely about rhythm and timing. It stands to reason, then, that a hitter attuned to facing pitches at mph might struggle against a knuckleball. The only left-hander on this list, Wood was actually the first knuckleballer to pitch for the Red Sox. He made his MLB debut in at the tender age of 19 years old, throwing four innings in relief of the immortal Billy Muffett. After several up and down years for both Boston and Pittsburgh, Wood arrived in Chicago to pitch for the White Sox and was advised by grizzled veteran Hoyt Wilhelm to use only the knuckleball when on the mound.

He set the MLB record for appearances by a reliever with 88 in , although that record has since fallen.

After becoming a starter in , Wood rattled off an unprecedented five consecutive seasons of plus starts, winning 20 games four times and making three All-Star teams over that time frame. Leonard was one of the earliest pitchers to enjoy great success with the knuckleball. He won games over the course of his year career, and continued to be effective will into his 40s. He won 10 or more games in 12 seasons, failing to reach that mark only once as a full-time starter.

He also made five All-Star teams and was known for his excellent control, leading MLB in walks per nine innings twice and finishing in the top five 12 different times. Leonard was also part of history in , when his Washington Senators sported what is thought to be the only four-man starting rotation comprised exclusively of knuckleballers Leonard, Roger Wolff, Mickey Haefner and Johnny Niggeling.

Wilhelm will best be remembered not just for his knuckleball, but for his longevity. His 21 seasons may not seem that remarkable, but when one considers that Wilhelm made his MLB debut at age 29, was an All-Star at 47 and made his last appearance at age 49, the significance of his achievements becomes a bit clearer. His 1, career appearances have been surpassed only by Jesse Orosco and Dennis Eckersley. A five-time All-Star whose first and last appearances were separated by an absurd 17 years, Wilhelm spent all but one of his professional seasons as a reliever.

However, his one full season as a starter was not without incident; he won 15 games and the AL ERA title with a 2. For all his extraordinary achievements, in Wilhelm became the first reliever ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. While it was not a traditional knuckleball grip, his pitch had a similar result. Many credit him with being the first knuckleballer. Physicians with the Texas Rangers discovered that he was missing his UCL ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm, and they were stunned that he could pitch without any pain.

In the season, Dickey compiled brilliant stretches on his way to becoming a game winner. Hoyt Wilhelm was mainly a reliever for his year career, amassing saves and a record games in relief. Wilhelm was the first relief pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame. Ted Lyons spent his entire playing and managerial career with the Chicago White Sox.

He had several pitches in his arsenal in addition to the knuckleball, including slow curveballs. Lyons pitched a no-hitter in Jesse Haines spent 18 seasons with the St.