Velocity rules in October when adrenaline, pressure, crowds push players to throw their hardest

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TORONTO (AP) — Velocity rules in October.

There have been a record 255 pitches of 100 mph or faster this postseason, up from 105 last year and the previous high of 169 in 2022.

Right-handed relievers averaged 96.2 mph with their four-seam fastballs through the World Series opener, an increase from 95.8 mph last postseason and 93.3 mph when Major League Baseball started tracking in 2008.

“That's crazy. That's insane,” Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott said. “You see kids in college throwing 100 (mph) and a couple of years ago they were throwing what, 94, 95?”

Pitchers averaged a record 94.5 mph with four-seam fastballs during the 2025 regular season, a speedup from 91.9 mph in 2008. Among righties, this year's average was 95 mph, including 95.6 mph by relievers.

Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman is averaging 96.4 mph with his four-seamer in October, up from 95.6 mph during the season.

“A lot of it is adrenaline and knowing that this is it. You've got to empty your tank every single night," he said. “Velocity is king. I know there are a lot of kind of conflicting opinions on that, but it’s harder to hit faster pitches, so it’s important to have your best stuff.”

While pitches are getting faster, offspeed use is increasing. Pitchers have thrown four-seamers 32.8% of the time during the postseason, down from a high of 40.9% in 2014. Overall use includes 17.2% sliders, 15.2% two-seamers, 9% curveballs, 8% changeups, 6.5% splitters, 5.9% cutters, 4.6% sweepers and 0.7% slurves.

A study released by MLB last offseason concluded rising velocities, pitch shaping and emphasis on maximum effort are the likely causes of the vast increase in pitcher injuries.

MLB decided last month to prohibit scouting of many high school prospects for three months during the offseason and of college prospects for two months in an effort to mandate recovery time.

“Starting at the bottom is the best way,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said Saturday. “That’s part of a larger program that we’re going to continue to roll out in an effort to address this issue.”

Dodgers pitchers have averaged 96.2 mph with four-seamers in the postseason, up from 94.7 mph during the regular season, and Blue Jays pitchers 95.1 mph, an increase from 94 mph. Among righty relievers, Los Angeles is averaging 97.6 mph in October and Toronto 96.8 mph.

“These are the most significant pitches that anybody’s thrown all year," Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said. “A lot of it just happens to do with the pressure of these situations, and I think you see it across baseball in the playoffs. Everybody’s stuff ticks up, for the most part. It seems like their stuff is at a different level.”

Milwaukee rookie Jacob Misiorowski reached 100 mph with 58 pitches — more than the entire postseason total as recently as 2018. He was followed by Cincinnati's Hunter Greene (28), Philadelphia's Jhoan Duran (25), the Chicago Cubs' Daniel Palencia (23) and Detroit's Tarik Skubal (22).

San Diego's Mason Miller threw a 104.5 mph called third strike to the Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series, the fastest postseason pitch in the Statcast era.

Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen said particular playoff environments can lead to faster pitches.

“When you go to places like the Padres last year, you just feel the hate, so you’re trying to counter with an ability to keep quiet,” he said. “The more you get deeper into the playoffs, the more you are just competing with — it’s energy. At this point in the World Series you are trying to empty the tank.”

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