The first pitch of the game is nearly always a fastball. In 2018 Sam Miller about it.
Does knowing the type of pitch give the batter an advantage if he swings? In May Ben Clemens wrote an article with a graph that showed batters’ swing rate against that first pitch of the game increased from about 13% in 2014 to about 30% this season.
“This year, 97% of the first pitches of a game – by the home or road starter – have been fastballs. 95% have been fastballs dating back to 2008, the first year of the pitch tracking era.