Average Pitching Strike to Ball Ratio
Average MLB pitchers throw 62% strikes, and better pitchers throw strikes 65% of the time, or roughly 2:1 strikes to balls.
According to FanGraphs.com there were 717,053 pitches thrown in MLB during 2009, 269,484 (38%) were called balls, and 447,569 (62%) were called strikes.
The top Strike to-Ball Percentage was 69% thrown by 7 pitchers, 68% by 10 pitchers.
500 pitchers (of the 666 total MLB pitchers) threw strikes at least 60% of the time. 660 pitchers threw at least 48% strikes.
Select relievers (below) threw 4,434 strikes (65%) out of 6,787 total pitches.
Select starters (below) threw 22,179 strikes (65%) out of 34,296 total pitches.
Selected MLB Pitchers - Strikes Pitched 2009
| Pitcher | (S)tarter (R)eliever |
ERA | Strikes % |
| Jonathan Broxton | R | 2.61 | 66% |
| Mariano Rivera | R | 1.76 | 67% |
| Joe Nathan | R | 2.10 | 64% |
| Trevor Hoffman | R | 1.83 | 65% |
| Phil Hughes | R | 1.40 | 65% |
| Jonathan Pabelbon | R | 1.85 | 65% |
| Chris Carpenter | S | 2.24 | 65% |
| Felix Hernandez | S | 2.49 | 64% |
| Roy Halladay | S | 2.79 | 69% |
| Adam Wainwright | S | 2.63 | 64% |
| Josh Beckett | S | 3.86 | 65% |
| Scott Feldman | S | 3.79 | 61% |
| Tim Lincecum | S | 2.48 | 64% |
| CC Sabathia | S | 3.37 | 65% |
| Zack Greinke | S | 2.16 | 63% |
| Justin Verlander | S | 3.45 | 67% |