Pirates' Heaney's Resurgence Fueled by Revamped Sinker
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Andrew Heaney’s early-season success with the Pittsburgh Pirates has been nothing short of remarkable, and a key factor has been the reintroduction of his sinker — a pitch he had all but abandoned since 2019.
After throwing just 10 sinkers in all of 2024 (and none in the five years prior), Heaney has made it a legitimate weapon in 2025, using it 6.6% of the time. It's been a welcome addition to his already deep four-pitch mix.
The pitch has been devastatingly effective so far this season, averaging 89.3 mph — just slightly slower than his 90 mph fastball — while boasting a horizontal movement of 3.8 inches, which currently leads Baseball Savant’s Statcast leaderboards in comparison to similar pitches. This horizontal movement has made the pitch especially effective against left-handed batters because the pitch comes in on the hitter's hands.
Heaney's pitch also tops the sinker leaderboards in overall horizontal break. But perhaps most importantly, Heaney's sinker sits atop the leaderboard of Induced Horizontal Movement Without Gravity, providing 4.5 additional inches of movement compared to similar pitches.
This signifies that Heaney's sinker is not just "sinking" because of natural gravity and the angle of the mound; he is putting an effective spin on the ball that forces it to drop. That high-spin rate bodes well for Heaney's continued success with the rejuvenated pitch.
The 33-year-old left-hander, who signed a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Pirates shortly after spring training began, has been nearly untouchable lately. Dating back to April 12, when he allowed a grand slam to Elly De La Cruz in the third inning, Heaney has strung together 16.1 consecutive scoreless innings.
Andrew Heaney tonight:
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) April 24, 2025
6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 SO
95 pitches, 66 strikes, 17 (!!!) whiffs
Absolute masterclass. He now has a 1.72 ERA. pic.twitter.com/eK4XAh5ezA
His dominance was on full display in Wednesday night’s 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels, where he struck out the first six batters he faced — joining Paul Skenes as the only Pirates pitchers in the expansion era (since 1961) to accomplish the feat. Heaney finished with six shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out nine and generating 17 whiffs.
Six straight strikeouts to start the game 🤯
— MLB (@MLB) April 24, 2025
Andrew Heaney is dealing against his old club. pic.twitter.com/YhpyeI1TMo
A two-time World Series participant (winning with the Rangers in 2023), Heaney has been one of baseball’s best starters through his first five outings. His 1.72 ERA ranks fourth in the National League and ninth in MLB, while his 0.77 WHIP leads the NL and sits third overall. Opponents are hitting just .161 against him, the sixth-lowest mark in the majors, and his 1.3 bWAR already paces the Pirates’ staff.
After a career-high 31 starts last year, Heaney has refined his arsenal — and the resurgence of his sinker is proving to be a game-changer.
Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.