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A huge number of pitchers came back with eye-popping velocity gains. The genie was out of the bottle. Teams and pitchers \u2014 who typically get paid more for throwing hard, and get more big league opportunities when they do so \u2014 both saw paths to push for more \u2026 more \u2026 MORE in ways that have fundamentally altered the game.<\/p>\n
The average four-seam fastball had seemingly leveled off, moving incrementally from 93.1 m.p.h. in 2015 to 93.4 in \u201920. That number, however, has undergone a more rapid increase to 94.5 over the last five seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cTen years ago, to talk about somebody throwing 100 miles per hour was a topic of conversation,\u201d said Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen<\/a>. \u201cNow, everybody has two guys in their bullpen that throw 100 miles an hour, and it\u2019s not uncommon for us in the minor leagues to look at our game report on a nightly basis and see multiple minor leaguers throwing 100 miles per hour.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t say I\u2019m surprised anymore [by a pitcher throwing 100],\u201d said longtime reliever Adam Ottavino, whose velocity peaked at 99.4 m.p.h. \u201cI\u2019m a little numb to it. I shouldn\u2019t be, because it\u2019s crazy \u2014 like, objectively crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n More than three-quarters of all pitchers in the big leagues now throws 95 m.p.h. How widespread might throwing 100 become? No one pretends to know the answer, but it seems fairly clear that pitchers will continue to push their top-end velocity, mindful that if they don\u2019t, someone else will do so.<\/p>\n \u201cYou throw 95, you can go to Mexico or independent ball now. They\u2019re not impressed by that anymore,\u201d said Ottavino. \u201cYou\u2019ve got no choice but to go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Right now, pitchers are training to do just that. In fairness, baseball is far from alone in the sports world in terms of speed being a driver for training \u2014 and pushing the limits of possibility.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s that dissimilar from Olympic records. They get broken every four years. Who knows what the human body is capable of?\u201d said Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes. \u201cSo I wouldn\u2019t bet against a higher percentage throwing 100, but maybe we\u2019re approaching [a plateau].\u201d<\/p>\n Then again, maybe not. The ability of a pitcher like Red Sox hurler Payton Tolle to go from an average velocity as a college junior of 91 m.p.h. and topping out at 96 to sitting at 96-97 and topping out at 101 in the big leagues one year later hints at the effectiveness of velocity training programs \u2014 and of the desire for teams to turn up the knob on heaters. <\/p>\n The Sox were the only team that didn\u2019t throw a single 100 m.p.h. pitch in the 2023-24 seasons. They viewed their lack of top-end velocity as a shortcoming to address, part of the motivation in trading for Garrett Crochet<\/a> and signing Aroldis Chapman<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve seen the way that power stuff performs over the course of the season, but particularly in the postseason,\u201d Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said of those pursuits. \u201cThe ability to get swing-and-miss do that on the heels of overpowering stuff was very important.\u201d<\/p>\n Crochet, Chapman, and Tolle were among the 12 (!) pitchers in the Sox organization in 2025 to clear 100 m.p.h., joining a group that included Jordan Hicks and Jorge Alcala as well as prospects<\/a> such as Luis Perales, David Sandlin, and Juan Valera.<\/p>\n The ever-increasing volume of hard throwers in the game has numerous repercussions. Foremost, with pitchers being asked to push their limits, a growing number of hurlers are exceeding them and breaking.<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you mitigate the health concerns that come along with [throwing 100 m.p.h.]?\u201d wondered Gomes. \u201cAs an industry, we\u2019ve got to put our heads together to try to figure that out.\u201d<\/p>\n Moreover, the ubiquity of baseball\u2019s smoke show is not only shortening the careers of pitchers through injuries, but also of position players who find it increasingly difficult to hold their own against top-end velocity.<\/p>\n It used to be that an inability to handle pitches in the upper-90s and triple digits due to declining bat speed represented a liability for hitters. Now, it\u2019s a fatal flaw. In 2024 and \u203225, there were just 15 big league position players age 36 or older \u2014 the fewest since 1973, the year when the designated hitter was introduced.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s harder and harder for players in their 30s to stay good,\u201d said Bendix. \u201cI personally believe that is not those players getting worse, it is younger players being better and better.\u201d<\/p>\n And, of course, throwing harder and harder. <\/p>\n BLOOM\u2019S DAY<\/p>\n Cardinals-Sox trade \u2018a little strange\u2019<\/p>\n Chaim Bloom consummated his first major deal as Cardinals president of baseball operations by striking a trade to send starter Sonny Gray to the Red Sox<\/a> in exchange for fellow righthander Richard Fitts and minor league lefthander Brandon Clarke. What was it like for Bloom to deal with his former club?<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels a little strange, obviously,\u201d said Bloom. \u201cBut at the end of the day, that doesn\u2019t really impact things. We\u2019re trying to do the best we can for our club, no matter who [a trade] is with. If we accomplish our objectives, then it doesn\u2019t matter, it shouldn\u2019t matter where I worked last or anything other than what\u2019s best for the St. Louis Cardinals.\u201d<\/p>\n And the Cardinals matched up well with the Red Sox given the different positions of the organizations. The Sox wanted to upgrade their 2026 roster, and Gray \u2014 with one year of team control remaining \u2014 accomplishes that. (Three separate evaluators described him, however, as a strong No. 3 as opposed to the true No. 2 starter chief baseball officer Craig Breslow suggested the Sox hoped to add this offseason.)<\/p>\n The Cardinals, meanwhile, are looking for players who can contribute for the longer term. The Red Sox\u2019 pitching depth (not a typo!) positioned them well to strike a deal.<\/p>\n Fitts is likely to compete for a rotation spot, and has six remaining years of team control. Clarke is more of a lottery ticket with electrifying stuff but multiple unknowns, with health\/durability and control foremost on the list of questions about him.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have somewhere we need to go. We\u2019re not there now,\u201d said Bloom. \u201cThe way to get there is through building on our core of talent and having promising young talent that can be with us for many years and that have their best ahead of them, we hope.\u201d<\/p>\n GOOD DEAL<\/p>\n Potentially better Fitts in St. Louis than Boston<\/p>\n The trade of Richard Fitts to St. Louis in the Sonny Gray deal served as a barometer of change in the Red Sox organization.<\/p>\n When he was still the Sox\u2019 chief baseball officer, Chaim Bloom actually explored acquiring Fitts at the 2023 trade deadline in a potential Alex Verdugo deal. The deal didn\u2019t get done during the season. After Bloom was dismissed by the Sox that September, his replacement \u2013 Breslow \u2014 made his first major transaction by closing a deal with the Yankees for the righthander as part of a package for Verdugo<\/a>, who was one year from free agency.<\/p>\n At the time, the Sox were, like the Cardinals now, focused more on future value than the present. They had a glaring lack of internal rotation depth that Fitts helped to address.<\/p>\n Eventually, Fitts performed well in his big league debut in 2024 then had a standout spring training in \u203225 to break camp in the rotation. However, the team\u2019s improved back-of-the-rotation depth positioned them to trade Fitts again \u2014 at a time when the compass guiding the Sox is pointed more toward 2026 than the future.<\/p>\n Fitts recognizes he might get a shot in St. Louis that might not have materialized in Boston.<\/p>\n \u201cWith this opportunity [with the Cardinals], if I am able to stay healthy, I think it\u2019s just going to be a great fit and a way for me to stay in a rotation,\u201d said Fitts. \u201cI feel like I really grew as a pitcher with the Red Sox. When I came over from the Yankees to the Red Sox, it was like, \u2018Oh, this would be cool if I get to be a big leaguer over here.\u2019 And now, moving to this opportunity, it\u2019s like, \u2018I am a big leaguer. How can I fit into [the Cardinals] rotation?\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n Other Red Sox notes:<\/p>\n \u25aa Lefthander Chris Murphy had been with the Sox since the 2019 draft, one of the longest-tenured members of the organization. But when he received a call from chief baseball officer Craig Breslow earlier this month, he knew his tenure was ending.<\/p>\n \u201cI was like, \u2018Oh boy. It\u2019s one of two \u2014 it\u2019s a DFA or trade, and I hope it\u2019s not a DFA,\u2019 \u201d recalled Murphy.<\/p>\n Murphy, who went 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA for the Red Sox in 34\u2154 relief innings in 2025 in his return from Tommy John surgery, immediately recognized a newfound sense of possibility with the news that he\u2019d been dealt to the White Sox<\/a> for minor league catcher Ronny Hernandez.<\/p>\n \u201cMy first thing was, \u2018I wonder how they see me. I wonder if I can start,\u2019 \u201d said Murphy. \u201cAll things considered, I\u2019m hopefully going to get an opportunity that I don\u2019t think I was going to really get next year with the Red Sox.\u201d<\/p>\n \u25aa The Sox want to add a top position player this offseason, whether through a reunion with third baseman Alex Bregman or another bat such as first baseman Pete Alonso. But even assuming they do so, multiple sources suggest they\u2019re open to adding an additional complementary position player. One intriguing possibility: Switch-hitting infielder Jorge Polanco, who slashed his strikeout rate from 30 percent in 2024 to 16 percent in 2025 en route to a .265\/.326\/.495 line with 26 homers. The 32-year-old played second base and third for the Mariners, and is open to adding first to add to his versatility.<\/p>\n \u25aa Kristian Campbell is going to play winter ball, according to multiple sources. The infielder\/outfielder\u2019s likely team: The Caguas Criollos of the Puerto Rican Winter League, who are managed by Sox bench coach Ram\u00f3n V\u00e1zquez.<\/p>\n \u25aa Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia will play winter ball<\/a> in his native Venezuela for the Navegantes del Magallanes from Dec. 5-21, the team announced. Also on that roster: 2018 Red Sox World Series champion Sandy L\u00e9on, longtime Sox minor leaguer Bryan Mata, Yasiel Puig, and Tucupita Marcano (banned for life by MLB in 2024 for betting on MLB games).<\/p>\n \u25aa As part of his managerial search, Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, the former Red Sox assistant general manager<\/a>, interviewed longtime Sox coach Chad Epperson, who has spent the last four years managing the Double A Portland Sea Dogs. \u201cPlayers absolutely love him, because I think they feel this genuine feeling of, \u2018This guy really cares for me, but he also challenges the heck out of me,\u2019 \u201d said Toboni. \u201cMy guess is that he\u2019ll find himself on a major league staff at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n \u25aa There were no talks between Gray and the Red Sox about a multi-year deal.<\/p>\n \u25aa Precedent suggests the Sox will keep exploring rotation upgrades even after their trade for Gray. Last offseason, after the Sox traded for Garrett Crochet, they explored other high-end trade options (including with the Pirates, Twins, and Mariners) before adding Walker Buehler.<\/p>\n For teams that are in the market for high-end starting pitching and willing to deal big league talent to get it, the Royals represent one of the most interesting potential trade partners of the offseason. Kansas City isn\u2019t hiding its willingness to deal a rotation member for an outfielder. \u201cOur starting pitching, we have some depth there,\u201d said Royals general manager J.J. Picollo. \u201cA lot of teams are looking for starting pitching, so if we have what they may be interested in, and they have an outfielder that would be of interest, then there\u2019s potentially the opportunity to make a deal.\u201d Is anyone, including lefthander Cole Ragans, off limits? \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say off limits,\u201d said Picollo, who noted that the Royals were reluctant to deal either Seth Lugo or Michael Wacha after the two veteran righthnders committed to them via free agency. \u201cThere would have to be a really big return for one [starter] in particular.\u201d That starter, of course, is Ragans. Though the Royals would prefer a righthanded-hitting outfielder, they won\u2019t be tethered to the notion \u2014 making their considerable interest in Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran<\/a> at the trade deadline notable \u2026 News that the Angels are in talks with Anthony Rendon to buy out the final year of the third baseman\u2019s seven-year, $245 million contract<\/a> and permit him to retire serves as a reminder of the brutal waste of talent in Anaheim. There have been just 13 players in MLB history to win at least three MVP awards, and just two instances where any of those players were teammates: The 1940s-\u201950s Yankees, whose dynasty was fueled by the overlap of Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Mickey Mantle, and the 2012-23 Angels, who had in-their-prime superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani as well as post-peak Albert Pujols. Alas, the team\u2019s massive investments in Pujols and Rendon yielded years of disappointment. The Angels have gone longer than any other team without appearing in the playoffs (11 years) or winning a playoff game (16 years). How heartbreaking must it be for Angels fans to watch Ohtani, finally getting his opportunity in the postseason, claim back-to-back titles with the Dodgers? \u2026 RIP George Altman, who passed away at 92. He began his pro baseball career with the Kansas City Monarchs, then went on to play nine years with the Cubs, Mets, and Cardinals, before spending several years in Japan. According to Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick, Altman joined Hall of Famer Larry Doby and former Dodgers great Don Newcombe as the only players ever to play in the Negro Leagues<\/a>, MLB, and NPB \u2026 Happy 75th birthday, Mike Easler. The \u201cHit Man\u201d spent two years as a Red Sox player (1984-85) and two more as a coach (1993-94), leaving a mark both times. As a player, after the Sox acquired him from the Pirates in a trade for lefthander John Tudor, he posted a monster campaign in 1984, hitting .313\/.376\/.516 (140 OPS+) with 27 homers. As a hitting coach, he had a huge influence on Mo Vaughn, whose coiled stance and high finish very much resembled Easler\u2019s own distinctive swing. Easler now works with his former prot\u00e9g\u00e9 at the Vaughn Sports Academy in Florida.<\/p>\n Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @alexspeier<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/H6ZAZIWIIMWBNWJMFP2OYI2GFQ.JPG\")
Chris Murphy was 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA for the Red Sox in 34\u2154 relief innings in 2025 in his return from Tommy John surgery.Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n