Editing Fastball (section)

===Cutter (cut fastball)===
{{main|Cutter (baseball)}}
[[File:Cut Fastball.gif|thumb|200px|An animated diagram of a cutter]]The '''cutter''' or '''cut fastball''', is a pitch that blurs the lines between a four-seam fastball and a [[Slider (baseball)|slider]]. The pitcher typically shifts their grip on a four-seam fastball to the side of the ball, and slightly [[Anatomical terms of motion|supinates]] their wrist to convert some backspin into gyroscopic spin. This alters the movement of the fastball in several ways.
[[File:Three cutters.gif|alt=cutters.gif|thumb|320x320px|Spin of 3 cutters thrown by [[Louie Varland]], [[Emmanuel Clase]], and [[Kenley Jansen]] respectively, from the catcher's perspective.]]
* Reduces the velocity of the pitch, typically by {{cvt|2|-|8|mph|m/s}} compared to the pitchers four-seam velocity, depending on the degree of wrist supination and biomechanical factors.
* Shifts the spin axis of the ball either reducing arm side movement or adding glove side movement. 
* Increases gyroscopic spin typically leading to less induced vertical movement and causing the pitch to drop more rapidly than a four-seam fastball.
* Altered seam orientation combining with gyroscopic spin increases [[seam-shifted wake]] effects inducing cutting movement to the pitch.
* Many pitchers are able to spin cutters at a higher rate than their four-seam fastball. In MLB in 2024, cutters averaged nearly 2400 RPM compared to around 2300 RPM for the average four-seam fastball.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statcast Search: 2024 Cutter Characteristics |url=https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_search?hfPT=FC%7C&hfAB=&hfGT=R%7C&hfPR=&hfZ=&hfStadium=&hfBBL=&hfNewZones=&hfPull=&hfC=&hfSea=2024%7C&hfSit=&player_type=pitcher&hfOuts=&hfOpponent=&pitcher_throws=&batter_stands=&hfSA=&game_date_gt=&game_date_lt=&hfMo=&hfTeam=&home_road=&hfRO=&position=&hfInfield=&hfOutfield=&hfInn=&hfBBT=&hfFlag=&metric_1=&group_by=league-year&min_pitches=0&min_results=0&min_pas=0&sort_col=pitches&player_event_sort=api_p_release_speed&sort_order=desc&chk_stats_api_break_z_with_gravity=on&chk_stats_api_break_x_arm=on&chk_stats_api_break_z_induced=on&chk_stats_velocity=on&chk_stats_spin_rate=on#results}}</ref>

Combined, these effects typically create a pitch slower than a pitcher's four-seam, that drops faster with either sharp glove-side 'cutting' movement or minimal arm-side movement.

Though the cutter is less common in [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] than the [[Four-seam fastball|four-seam]] and the [[Sinker (pitch)|sinker]], there have been many notable practitioners such as: 

* [[Mariano Rivera]], widely regarded as the greatest [[relief pitcher]] in baseball history, relied heavily on a low to mid-90s cutter, at times throwing it almost exclusively. This pitch became notorious for inducing soft contact by cutting in on the hands of left-handed hitters.
* [[Kenley Jansen]], one of the most consistent and decorated relievers of the 2010s, has consistently thrown a low to mid-90s cutter throughout his career. The pitch's heavy [[seam-shifted wake]] induced cut has led to elite whiff rates, consistently in excess of 30%, against right-handed hitters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kenley Jansen Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics |url=https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/kenley-jansen-445276?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=baseballsavant.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Emmanuel Clase]] relies heavily on his hard cutter. Consistently averaging around {{cvt|100|mph|m/s}} and reaching as high as {{cvt|102.8|mph|m/s}}, the pitch has produced extremely high ground ball rates throughout his career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statcast Search: Emmanuel Clase Peak Velocity |url=https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_search?hfPT=FF%7CFC%7C&hfAB=&hfGT=R%7C&hfPR=&hfZ=&hfStadium=&hfBBL=&hfNewZones=&hfPull=&hfC=&hfSea=2024%7C2023%7C2022%7C2021%7C2020%7C2019%7C2018%7C2017%7C2016%7C2015%7C&hfSit=&player_type=pitcher&hfOuts=&hfOpponent=&pitcher_throws=&batter_stands=&hfSA=&game_date_gt=&game_date_lt=&hfMo=&hfTeam=&home_road=&hfRO=&position=&hfInfield=&hfOutfield=&hfInn=&hfBBT=&hfFlag=&pitchers_lookup%5B%5D=661403&metric_1=api_p_release_speed&metric_1_gt=102&metric_1_lt=&group_by=name&min_pitches=0&min_results=0&min_pas=0&sort_col=pitches&player_event_sort=api_p_release_speed&sort_order=desc#results |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=baseballsavant.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Emmanuel Clase Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics |url=https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/emmanuel-clase-661403?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=baseballsavant.com |language=en-US}}</ref>