Overview
The forkball is gripped deeply between the index and middle fingers and features a sharp downward break near the plate. Revered in Japan as a 'magic pitch,' it has been the signature weapon of many legendary NPB hurlers. Hideo Nomo combined his tornado delivery with a devastating 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 so sharp that batters could only swing and miss. Koji Uehara wielded a splitter-style fork as an MLB closer, earning 2013 World 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 favors the shallower-gripped splitter, NPB's traditional forkball generates greater vertical drop due to its deeper grip.