What is the difference between a Sweeper and a Slider? Breaking down MLB’s hottest new pitch

After a successful 2023 regular season, there were several noticeable changes that fans may have recognized during the year, with the word sweeper being chief among them. It was difficult to watch any game this season and not hear the name of the coveted new pitch, but what is the difference between a sweeper and a slider?

"Turns out that being a hitter on a team that didn’t make the playoffs in 2023 is just repeatedly explaining the difference between a sweeper and a slider" - @Brent_Rooker12

For many casual fans, the Sweeper looks very similar to the Slider, which is known for its horizontal motion across the plate. However, the MLB and those who keep statistics have made a distinct difference between the two pitches. For a pitch to no longer be categorized as a Slider, the horizontal movement will hit roughly 15 inches.

For years, the Slider has been a strikeout pitcher for many pitchers, including legends such as Randy Johnson, Bob Gibson, and Steve Carlton. The off-speed pitch is generally faster and has less break than a traditional Curveball, or the Slurve, which combines the two.

When it comes to the MLB's hottest new pitch, the Sweeper, it has a similar look and movement to the Slider, however, its signature comes from its more dramatic sweeping motion across the plate. The difference between the two pitches generally comes in the amount of horizontal movement, with the Slider having a "tighter" motion.

A look at pitchers who have added the Sweeper to their arsenals

In a piece by The Athletic, it explained that Driveline Baseball’s director of pitching Chris Langin analyzed the movement of Sliders from 2020 to 2021. He noticed that during the 2020 regular season, 15% of Sliders had a break of 10 inches or more, whereas that number jumped to 26%.

Among the notable MLB hurlers who have adopted the new pitch include Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish of the San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners George Kirby.

"Strong stuff from #STLCards LHP Jordan Montgomery, per Statcast: Highest run value on single pitch (negative number = runs prevented) 1. Shohei Ohtani (LAA), sweeper: -6, 1. Jordan Montgomery, sinker: -6, 3. Gerrit Cole (NYY), 4-seamer: -5, 3. Framber Valdez (HOU), sinker: -5" - @JohnDenton555

As the MLB postseason continues to cruise along, it will not be surprising if commentators and statisticians continue to point out the MLB's hottest and new favorite pitch.