The Dodgers Are Changing How They Pitch

Photo: Stacie WheelerWe’re starting to get to the point of the season where a team’s cohesive pitching strategy comes into view. It’s still early, and that strategy is dependent on the personnel on the team, but the Dodgers have made a few changes to how they pitch this year which seem meaningful and potentially extends beyond who they have on their roster.

Over the last few seasons, the league-wide fastball rate has trended downward. This makes sense given that outings are shorter in general. Swing-and-miss rates are higher on non-fastballs, and shorter pitching stints reduce the need to establish the fastball. The Dodgers have been at the forefront of this trend, posting some of the lowest…