Shohei Ohtani and baseball's most valuable pitch

Having not pitched since May 20, Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound for his eighth start of the season when the Angels visit the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. The pitch to keep an eye on as the two-way phenom takes the mound in Motown? His splitter, which might just be the most dominant pitch in baseball this season.

• Ohtani's splitter has been the most valuable splitter in the majors this season according to FanGraphs' pitch values, and it isn't even close.
• Ohtani has thrown 157 splitters this season and allowed one hit. Batters are 1-for-44 in at-bats ending on the pitch against Ohtani.
• That .023 Opp BA in AB ending on his splitter is the lowest opponent average for any starter on a pitch this season (min. 100 pitches thrown of type).

Why and how is he succeeding with the pitch? In part, his opponents are swinging pretty wildly at the splitter. Ohtani has induced a 61 percent swing-and-miss rate on the pitch, the second-highest for any starter on a single pitch (min. 100 pitches of that type).