Strikeout rate in the 2020 playoffs

In the top of the 9th inning of game 6 of the 2020 World Series, 2 outs, 0-2 count, Julio Urias threw a 97-mph fastball and it was a called strike. Julio Urias struck out Willy Adames looking and the Dodgers celebrated as they won the first World Series title since 1988. During the 2020 World Series, Julio Urias threw 13 strikeouts and Willy Adames was struck out 8 times. Strikeouts, we have seen a lot of strikeouts in the 2020 playoffs.

So, how many strikeouts in the last postseason? In total, there were 1030 strikeouts last postseason. The strikeout rate of the 2020 postseason was 25.7%. Now, let’s look at each series.

In the Wild Card Series, the strikeout rate was 26.5%. The Braves hitters were struck out 35 times in the Wild Card Series, but this didn’t stop them. The Braves still advanced to the next round. Chicago White Sox batters were struck out 29 times in the 3-game Wild Card Series. Cincinnati Reds pitchers threw 35 strikeouts against the Braves, but Reds batters were struck out 28 times. The Milwaukee Brewers were also struck out 28 times in the Wild Card Series.

Going to the next round. The Yankees and the Rays each threw 49 strikeouts in the 5-game series. The Houston Astros pitchers threw 32 strikeouts in the ALDS. In the Division Series, there were 270 strikeouts and the K-rate was 23.6%.

The two League Championship Series went 7 games. The Rays batters were struck out 81 times in the ALCS and their opponents, the Astros, were struck out 54 times. In the NLCS, the Dodgers batters were struck out 67 times and the Braves hitters were stuck out 64 times. In the League Championship Series, there were 266 strikeouts and the strikeout rate was 25.2%

In the World Series, there were a lot of strikeouts. The Dodgers pitchers threw 70 strikeouts and the Rays pitchers threw 61 strikeouts. The strikeout percentage went up to 29.7% in the 2020 World Series.

Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow threw 40 strikeouts in the playoffs and Dodgers’ pitcher Walker Buehler threw 39 strikeouts. Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw and Blake Snell each threw 37 strikeouts in the 2020 playoffs. Clayton Kershaw has already thrown 207 strikeouts in the postseason and he’s the postseason strikeout leader. And look at batters in the 2020 postseason, Rays’ Brandon Lowe was struck out 28 times and his K-rate was 34.1%. Mike Zunino was struck out 27 times and his K-rate was 48.2%. Willy Adames was struck out 25 times and had a 34.2% K-rate. Dodgers’ Chris Taylor and Will Smith each had 24 strikeouts. Chris Taylor’s K-rate was 38.1% and Will Smith had a 32% K-Rate.

We see that strikeout percentage was almost 30% in the 2020 World Series. Look at the strikeout rate in the World Series from 2016 to 2020, the strikeout rate in 20202 was the highest. There are many strikeouts in the regular season and there are many strikeouts in the playoffs. The 2021 MLB season hasn’t started, it’s surely too early to say whether the strikeout rate will go even higher in the 2021 postseason. However, strikeout rate will be a very interesting thing to monitor in the 2021 season.