changeup

Or change-up

[cheynj-uhp]

noun

Baseball.

1. a pitch that follows one or more fastballs, delivered with the same motion as for a fastball but with less speed, intentionally disrupting the batter’s timing.

   He knows how to use his changeup to keep hitters off balance.

Word History and Origins

Origin of changeup¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Then he got Harper to fly out on a changeup, pumping a fist into his mitt as he skipped off the field.

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The inning ended a batter later, when Alec Bohm chased a 2-and-0 changeup and hit a groundball to third base.

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Nick Lodolo, another left-hander with an excellent curveball/changeup combination, is 9-8 with a 3.30 ERA, also in 28 starts.

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Against his final batter, Kemp, Snell fell behind, missing low with a changeup before pulling a fastball wide.

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Seven came on 12 total swings against his changeup, a key offspeed pitch that showed no signs of rust even after his long layoff.

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