Sports

Command Is Quietly Getting Better Across Baseball, and Three Arms Prove It

By Chelena Goldman Athlon Sports

Updated July 13, 2026 2:23 PM

Don't look now, but walks are down across Major League Baseball. And that could impact the fantasy baseball moves managers make in July.

After reaching a historic high early in the season, the league-wide walk rate has dropped from May to June 2026. This isn't because a couple of pitchers are getting lucky in the ABS era. It's a sign that pitch command is quietly on the rise.

Here's the skinny on lowered walk rate and pitch command, and what this means for fantasy baseball rosters.

The League Is Throwing More Strikes

The walk rate hovered at an insanely high 9.9% in April as more called strikes were challenged and confirmed as balls by the ABS system. That number has dipped month over month, however, hitting 8.5% in June according to ESPN.

Pitchers didn't magically start throwing more strikes. The flamethrowers with the best accuracy have just become more valuable.

Athlon noted back in April that command-heavy pitchers stood to gain from the ABS's precise strike zone. Relying on location over raw power has become crucial when cutting down on walks. Plus, it makes a pitcher's ERA much more appealing.

Anthony Kay Cut His Walk Rate, and His ERA Followed

Anthony Kay refined pitch command, producing sustained improvements in walk rate, xERA, and overall effectiveness throughout 2026. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The White Sox southpaw got off to a rough start when he returned to the MLB in 2026, but has made noticeable month-over-month improvements.

Sox Machine confirms that Kay made adjustments to his pitch angle ahead of the season, and that his strike zone command has increased. Kay's strikeout rate rose from 12.3% before May 1 to 21.2% after. Meanwhile, his pre-May 1 BB% was 11.5 and dropped to 7.3%, and his pre-May 1 xERA of 8.30 plummeted to 4.27 after that date. Kay's ERA has followed suit, dropping from 6.64 in April to 4.23 on the season.

Brandon Sproat and Drew Anderson Show the Same Shape

Brandon Sproat's improving command profile reinforced his growing fantasy value through consistently reduced walk totals during June. Benny Sieu-Imagn Images arena

We've mentioned Sproat's improved ERA before. Sports Illustrated points to Sproat's command being noticeably better in June, which allowed him to pitch five or more innings in four of his five starts.

As it turns out, the Brewers starter's walk rate also dropped, from 13.0% in March and April to 11.8% in May and 7.1% in June. He allowed two or fewer walks in seven of eight starts going back to May 30. (In that outlying start, he allowed just three walks.)

Tigers reliever Anderson has had similar success with improved command, which has helped make him a starting candidate in Detroit. Anderson's strikeout rate improved from 31.0% in May to 33.9% in June, while his May walk rate of 8.0% dropped to 7.1% the following month.

Why Command Gains Tend to Stick

Command gains differ from strikeout spikes, which are more indicative of a hot streak than sustainable change. Since pitch command is fused into muscle memory, it's a long-term gain that fantasy managers can rely on. Pitch command gains that continue over a five- to six-week period (like with the three pitchers listed above) show sustainable growth and not a one- or two-week heater.

Keys for 2026-27 Fantasy Baseball Managers

Owners hitting the waiver wire for pitchers in July should note improved walk rates. Increased strikeout rates are great and can be a sign of a pitcher making tweaks in the ABS's debut season. Fewer walks over time, on the other hand, is a sign of sustainable pitch command heading into the second half of the season.

Need more help targeting pitchers with increasingly good command? Athlon's ongoing Fantasy Baseball coverage offers daily rotation updates all season long.

Questions About The Walk Rate, Answered

Is the league walk rate actually falling in 2026?

The league walk rate reached 9.9% in April as the ABS system influenced called-strike challenges, then declined month over month to 8.5% in June according to ESPN. The trend is presented as evidence that improved command is becoming more common across the league rather than being driven by a handful of pitchers.

Why is Anthony Kay a good example of a command improvement?

Anthony Kay improved across several key indicators after a difficult start to the season. His strikeout rate increased, his walk rate fell from 11.5% to 7.3%, his xERA dropped from 8.30 to 4.27, and his ERA also declined, reflecting the impact of better pitch command.

Is Brandon Sproat's command gain real?

Sproat has shown sustained improvement over multiple starts. His walk rate declined from 13.0% in March and April to 11.8% in May and 7.1% in June, while he consistently limited free passes by allowing two or fewer walks in seven of his previous eight starts.

Are command gains more reliable than strikeout-rate spikes for fantasy purposes?

Command gains are presented as more sustainable because they are tied to repeatable pitch execution rather than short-term performance spikes. When improved command continues for five to six weeks, it is treated as a stronger indicator of lasting improvement heading into the second half of the season.

This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 2:03 PM.