Pitch Tunneling

(Credit: Baseball Savant)

In baseball, pitch tunneling is the "difference in how pitches break before they reach the plate" (Prospects Live). Tunneling is a key tool that separates good pitchers from elite pitchers. A pitcher can use their different pitch breaks and movements effectively in an at-bat against a batter to strike them out or produce a ball in play for an out. Key metrics to pitch tunneling explained in the graphic below are the tunnel point (approximately 23 feet 8 inches from home plate) and tunnel distance (the distance in inches between two pitches at their tunnel point).

(Credit : Top Velocity)

However, the most important part to be successful at pitch tunneling is consistently replicating the pitcher's whole body, arm motion, and release point so that hitters can't easily pick up what pitch the pitcher is throwing. A fastball motion should look the same as a curveball motion.

On the other hand, in support of effective different release points for different pitches, Shohei Ohtani releases his slider on average 4 inches below his fastball release point. But, since the release points of his pitches vary within that average range, hitters can't pick up if a different pitch is thrown because of the expected inconsistency and pitches overlapping in their ball flight anyways. "Consistently inconsistent release points are just as effective for deception as consistent ones" (Prospects Live).

Pitch Tunneling Example - Blake Treinen

In the video below, Blake Treinen's sinker and slider pitches are shown:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7tGaHO6Xhk

(Credit: Pitching Ninja)

Effective sinker and "sweeper" tunneling is what has differentiated Treinen as a standout closer and reliever for the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers, and was a key part in the Dodgers winning the 2020 and 2024 World Series. Treinen uses a sinker (orange) 50% of the time, sweeper (yellow) 45% of the time , and four-seam fastball (red) 5% of the time against right handed batters.

Pitch Breaks against RHH:

(Credit: Baseball Savant)

Against left-handed pitchers, Treinen changes up his pitch usage since the break of his sweeper is now going into the batter and his sinker is moves away (opposite from right handed batters). So, now he only uses sinkers (orange) 17% of the time and sweepers (yellow) 31% of time, but incorporates his cutter (brown) 34% of the time and increases the fastball (red) usage to 18% of the time

Pitch Breaks Against LHH:

(Credit : Baseball Savant)

In looking at Treinen's sinker and sweeper at the tunnel point, it becomes evident why Treinen had such a dominant season posting a 7-3 win-loss record with a 1.93 ERA in 46.2 innings pitched (50 appearances) and striking out 56 batters.

Pictured below is an at-bat against Fernando Tatis Jr. The two pitches are overlaid, but a sinker was first thrown as is the baseball that is slightly more to the bottom right. The sweeper was then sequenced after the sinker and is the baseball to the upper left. The sweeper produced the swing and miss for the strikeout against Tatis Jr, who is an elite hitter to remind you, all because of the effective pitch tunneling that made the two pitches appear the same. Tatis Jr swung at the sweeper because it looked like it was going to be that sinker Treinen previously threw, only for the sweeper to drop off the table and end up outside the strike zone, but still able to produce a whiff for the strikeout.

(Credit: Pitching Ninja)

CONCLUSION

In effect, pitch tunneling is all about deception as the goal is for the hitters to swing at unhittable pitches. Pitch sequence is also a key strategy that works in tandem with pitch tunneling as pitchers, catchers, and coaches can manipulate throwing a curveball in the dirt or slider away, out of the zone after throwing a fastball the previous pitch that effectively "set up" the hitter with the pitches coming out the same tunnel.

While pure talent and ability with high velocity/high movement pitches can make a pitcher stand out above the rest and be successful, pitch tunneling is a crucial aspect to player development for a pitcher to become better, no matter if they are in high school, college, or already playing professionally.