MLB fans often are amazed by the type of heat that can be brought by pitchers like Hunter Greene of the Cincinnati Reds and Jordan Hicks of the St. Louis Cardinals. But what about the opposite end of the spectrum? What about the slowest MLB pitches ever thrown in a game during the 2022 season? Those are the ones we will uncover in this article.
1. Brock Holt, Texas Rangers, 31 mph
We start our countdown with the slowest pitch of all during the Statcast era began (officially in time for the 2015 season after the technology was installed in all 30 MLB parks). That came from Brock Holt, then with the Texas Rangers, throwing a scoreless eighth inning against the Oakland A’s on August 7, 2021.
Holt needed just 10 pitches to get their the inning, and one of those was a 31 mph “eephus” pitch that is the slowest to come off the mound … and it was even a called strike as well.
On April 12, with the Washington Nationals trailing the Atlanta Braves by a 13-4 margin heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, Dee Strange-Gordon entered the game for his first MLB experience on the mound.
Strange-Gordon would throw 28 pitches in the inning, giving up three runs on two hits and walking three batters. He would also give up a home run and provide an instant social media classic by “plunking” Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who put on an Oscar-worthy performance after being hit by the pitch.
While that is the moment everyone remembers, Strange-Gordon actually threw a pitch slower than that one, registering a 34.3 mph pitch that Matt Olson would take for a ball and draw a walk.
3. Andrelton Simmons, Chicago Cubs, 39.1 mph
Much like Strange-Gordon, Simmons entered the game for the Cubs on May 26 with his team way behind for his first-ever pitching performance. However, the Cincinnati Reds would inflict more damage on Simmons than Strange-Gordon suffered at the hands of the Braves, with Cincinnati tagging the Cubs shortstop forfive runs on five hits and also drawing a walk during a 25-pitch performance.
We talked about the outing from Simmons in this article, but the slow pitch and form behind it is certainly worth reliving here as Matt Reynolds blasts a deep sacrifice fly to left … but Simmons still gets the out.
From May 15 to May 23 of this season, González was put into the game by the Giants as a way to eat up some outs in blowout losses to the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets. During that span, he’s worked 4.1 innings and allowed five hits and three runs while walking just one batter. As of this writing, his ERA stood at 6.23 and FIP at 3.83 throughout the 20 batters he has faced.
For this article, we’ll focus on his May 23 outing at home against the Mets and the 39.6 mph pitch he threw to Patrick Mazeika. It’s the fourth-slowest pitch during the 2022 season but it also resulted in an exit velocity of just 49.6 mph as Mazeika weakly tapped it back to González for the final out of the contest.
5.Andrelton Simmons, Chicago Cubs, 40.1 mph
Remember that classic battle between Simmons and Reynolds we discussed in the third-slowest pitch above? Well, in that same at-bat, Simmons also threw the fifth-slowest pitch of the season, with a 40.1 mph being taken by Reynolds for a ball.
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Sure, fans can ooh and ah over the heaters thrown by some of today’s biggest names on the mound. We’ll keep our eye on the pitches from some unexpected names that don’t have the velocity but can still register outs.
As an enthusiast deeply entrenched in baseball statistics and player performance, let me delve into the intricacies of the slowest MLB pitches thrown during the 2022 season. The ability to finesse a pitch at lower speeds can be just as captivating as witnessing high-velocity throws by pitchers like Hunter Greene and Jordan Hicks.
Let's break down the slowest pitches in the 2022 MLB season:
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Brock Holt, Texas Rangers, 31 mph:
- Holt, primarily an infielder, showcased his versatility by delivering a 31 mph "eephus" pitch against the Oakland A's. This slowest pitch of the season was an intriguing addition to his otherwise non-pitching repertoire.
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Dee Strange-Gordon, Washington Nationals, 34.3 mph:
- Strange-Gordon's unexpected appearance on the mound resulted in a memorable moment. Despite his slower pitch speed, the narrative was highlighted by his entertaining interaction, including an incident involving Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud.
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Andrelton Simmons, Chicago Cubs, 39.1 mph & 40.1 mph:
- Simmons, a Cubs shortstop, had two notably slow pitches during his pitching debut. Despite the lack of velocity, these pitches were significant enough to draw attention, especially in the context of his transition from infielder to pitcher.
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Silvino González, San Francisco Giants, 39.6 mph:
- González, although not primarily known for pitching, showcased his slow delivery during a game against the New York Mets. His 39.6 mph pitch resulted in a weakly hit ball, demonstrating that speed isn't the only factor in inducing outs.
The fascination with these slower pitches lies in the rarity of such occurrences in a league where speed and power often dominate discussions. These instances shed light on the diversity of skills within MLB players beyond their designated roles, making for compelling and sometimes comical moments on the field.
In a sport where velocity often takes center stage, these slower pitches offer a refreshing reminder of the nuances and diversity present in the game of baseball. They might not break speed records, but they certainly add a unique flavor to the rich tapestry of MLB moments.
