Tyler Glasnow of the Dodgers has found success utilizing his breaking ball arsenal; this article was initially published by The Sporting News.
On Thursday, Tyler Glasnow, a right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, delivered a dominant outing against the San Francisco Giants. The 2024 All-Star completed eight frames without surrendering a run, giving up just one base hit and one walk while recording nine strikeouts.
The superb showing by Glasnow was largely attributable to the effectiveness of his curveball and knuckle-curve. A significant portion of his strikeouts, specifically six out of nine, were achieved with his curveball.
Tyler Glasnow, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, employs a pair of distinct curveball variations based on game scenarios
“Initially, my aim is to get ahead in the count by throwing it a bit slower, almost like a spiked pitch, but when I need to finish off a batter, I keep both fingers on it and try to throw it with more velocity,” Glasnow explained after the game to SportsNet LA. “While there was some inconsistency, I felt I gained better control of it as the game progressed, and generally, I had a good feel for the pitch.”
Of the 84 knuckle-curveballs delivered by Glasnow, opposing batters have managed only a .160 batting average and a .360 slugging percentage, while recording 10 strikeouts. When facing his conventional curveball (31 pitches), batters have yet to register a hit and have struck out seven times.
There has been a notable change in Glasnow’s reliance on his breaking pitches between last season and the current one. In the previous year (2025), Glasnow deployed his breaking ball in 22% of his pitches, a figure that has increased to 30% this season. This increased deployment of his curveballs, now nearly matching his four-seam fastball usage (37%), appears to be a highly successful strategy for him.
In total, Glasnow holds a 3-0 record with a 2.45 earned run average, having fanned 33 batters across 33.0 innings pitched. This impressive beginning to the season from Glasnow, coupled with his masterful command of both his curveball and knuckle-curve, positions him as a strong candidate for an appearance in this summer’s Midsummer Classic.
