what is a sweeper pitch

A sweeper pitch is a variant of a slider that has become popular in Major League Baseball (MLB) over the last few seasons. It is a breaking ball that has a more horizontal approach than the typical slider, with less downward movement than a slurve. The sweeper is not a new pitch, but a new term to describe a certain type of breaking ball that has been around for a long time. It is a pitch that moves more horizontally than the typical slider, and has a unique flight path that batters havent seen before. The sweeper is a coveted pitch because it has a tighter spin that looks more like a fastball, making it useful for pitchers. The pitch is showing up on broadcasts and scoreboards just like "curveball" and "slider" after MLB's Statcast created a new classification for the pitch. The sweeper is not a pitch that looks like a fastball to the hitter, but baits the hitter by seeming like a fastball. The sweeper is becoming more popular with pitch names and pitch designs, and many "good" sliders in recent years have been back-tagged as sweepers.