Overview
The forkball is gripped deeply between the index and middle fingers and features a sharp downward break near the plate. Known in Japan as a 'magic pitch' or 'dropping ball,' it has been the signature weapon of many notable NPB pitchers. Hideo Nomo combined his tornado delivery with his fork to win the most wins and best ERA titles in 1990, later taking MLB by storm. Kazuhiro Sasaki, nicknamed 'Daimajin,' recorded 45 saves in 1998 with a fork that was said to leave batters no option but to swing and miss. Koji Uehara wielded a splitter-style fork as an MLB closer, earning 2013 American League Championship Series MVP honors. The deep grip reduces spin rate, causing the ball to drop suddenly from a fastball-like arm action, disrupting batter timing. However, the pitch places significant stress on the elbow and carries elevated injury risk. While MLB has the shallower-gripped splitter as a related pitch, NPB's traditional forkball generates greater vertical drop due to its deeper grip.