split-fingered fastball
noun
split-fin·gered fastball
ˈsplit-ˈfiŋ-gərd- 
: a fastball thrown with the ball gripped as for a forkball so that it drops rapidly as it nears the plate
called also split-finger, splitter
Examples of split-fingered fastball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By this logic, wouldn’t white baseball pitchers have an advantage because their light skin helps them disguise the light baseball when throwing a split-finger fastball?
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Mike Bianchi, orlandosentinel.com, 5 Dec. 2019
On Thursday, a regression in the sharpness of Tanaka’s best two pitches — a split-finger fastball and a slider — was his biggest downfall.
—Benjamin Hoffman, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2019
That’s an impressive feat, considering Darvish throws more than six pitches and his split-finger fastball and hard curve can be difficult to catch.
—Mark Gonzales, chicagotribune.com, 28 Aug. 2019
Domingo German is facing an innings limit, big-game pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has struggled to find his split-finger fastball all season and James Paxton has only just begun to put together consistent starts.
—Kristie Ackert, courant.com, 11 Aug. 2019
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Mike Bianchi, orlandosentinel.com, 5 Dec. 2019
On Thursday, a regression in the sharpness of Tanaka’s best two pitches — a split-finger fastball and a slider — was his biggest downfall.
—Benjamin Hoffman, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2019
That’s an impressive feat, considering Darvish throws more than six pitches and his split-finger fastball and hard curve can be difficult to catch.
—Mark Gonzales, chicagotribune.com, 28 Aug. 2019
Domingo German is facing an innings limit, big-game pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has struggled to find his split-finger fastball all season and James Paxton has only just begun to put together consistent starts.
—Kristie Ackert, courant.com, 11 Aug. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Split-fingered fastball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/split-fingered%20fastball. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
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