Changing It Up: Determining the Nash Equilibria for Major League Baseball Pitchers
Abstract
In order to prevent batters from hitting a pitch, pitchers must decide on a strategic balance of many different pitch types. While each pitcher has preferred pitches (likely those with which he is most confident), he cannot over-utilize his dominant pitches, or batters will be able to gain a strategic advantage in trying to put the ball into play. We analyze Major League Baseball (MLB) pitch data from 2008 to 2018 in order to determine whether or not MLB pitchers are able to reach the theorized mixed-strategy Nash equilibrium given the pitcher’s skill in utilizing each type of pitch. Our data suggests that MLB pitchers are in fact rational, and succeed in reaching the mixed-strategy Nash Equilibrium.
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Biographies
Dustin R. White is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His primary interests are sports, labor, and health economics, and data science. He has previously published work in journals such as the Journal of Health Economics, Labor, Journal of Economic Education, and Contemporary Economic Policy.
Ben O. Smith is a University Distinguished Associate Professor and Department Chair of Economics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Previous work has been published in Applied Economics, Applied Psychological Measurement, Defence and Peace Economics, Education Economics, Journal of Economic Education, Journal of Urban Economics, Review of Industrial Organization, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, Significance, Southern Economic Journal, and Studies in Higher Education (among others).
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Article first published online: March 6, 2024
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