New York Mets reliever Nate Lavender has quickly become one of baseball's most dominant relief pitchers since his August 4 debut, primarily due to a deceptive fastball that has baffled opposing hitters. Despite averaging just over 92 mph, his four-seamer plays significantly faster, contributing to an otherworldly 0.00 earned run average through his first 12 consecutive scoreless innings.
Lavender's performance places him among the top relievers in the sport, according to FanGraphs' version of wins above replacement. His streak of 12 scoreless innings to start his career is the second-longest in Mets history. In that span, he has faced 44 batters, allowing only eight to reach base via five hits and three walks, while striking out 14.
His success is largely attributed to a unique and deceptive delivery that sneaks up on hitters. Catcher Luis Torrens, who has seen more of Lavender's fastball than anyone at the major league level, described the adjustment process for opposing hitters as almost comical. "I feel like the hitters know the numbers, the metrics, but actually when they're going to face him, you see weird takes against the fastball," Torrens said. "They go like, ‘Oh f–k, that’s the fastball.’"
This deception stems from a combination of Lavender's natural delivery and an extended arm path that creates a short release point. Previously, a pitching coach at the University of Illinois worked with Lavender to shorten his arm path to protect against injury, inadvertently creating a side benefit of making the ball harder for hitters to pick up. "I wouldn't say I've necessarily always tried to hide the ball well," Lavender, 26, stated. "I think it's just been a byproduct of my natural delivery and then just trying to keep the body in good positions."
Adding to the confusion is Lavender's height and elite extension. His lead foot gets far down the mound, positioning him an average of 7.1 feet closer to the plate upon release, a metric among the best in the majors. This extension, combined with his delivery, makes his 92.7 mph fastball play as if it were much faster, holding hitters to a .2-for-25 (.080 batting average) with 10 strikeouts against that pitch entering play.
Lavender's journey to the majors has not been without setbacks. He was a rising prospect with the Mets before injuries, including 2024 internal brace surgery and 2025 bone spur surgery, impacted his career. He was acquired by the Rays as a Rule 5 project but was returned in December due to further injury concerns. Despite these challenges, his natural pitching motion, honed since childhood when his father advised him to focus on fastballs to avoid injury, has proven to be a significant advantage in his professional career. He was originally a 14th-round selection in the 2021 draft. Lavender expressed gratitude for his deceptive mechanics, stating, "I'm thankful that that deception's in there, and I can use it to my advantage."