Some of the more analytically-minded teams, like the Red Sox, the Astros, the Rays, and the Indians, have moved away from sinkers. Each of the Red Sox, Astros, and Rays only had nine pitchers throw sinkers in the 2021 season. The Indians only had seven pitchers throw the pitch. Each of these teams had pitchers who threw a sinker as their primary pitch (Framber Valdez and Kendall Graveman for the Astros, Cal Quantrill for the Indians), but in general, these teams avoided sinkers. The Rays and the Astros are probabaly the two most analytically-inclined teams in the league, and they have a strong focus on four-seam fastballs instead of sinkers.
The Cardinals Are Chasing Sinkers, and That Is Nothing New
