THROWN FOR A CURVE

No staff dispensed curveballs at a greater frequency than Cleveland’s. According to Fangraphs data, the Indians threw curves 17.6 percent of the time. The next most was the Dodgers at 14.9 percent. That 2.7 percent gap between the top two teams was the same as between the Dodgers and Nationals, who ranked 11th in curveball usage. Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco and closer

Cody Allen, in particular, use it as a main weapon; and Kluber’s curve just might be the best in the game. Scouts cited cutting back on his buffet of pitches and relying more heavily on fastball and curveball as beneficial to Bauer’s growth.

Kluber and Bauer, largely, but the others, too, really like to change eye levels of hitters with belly-button fastballs up in the zone and curveballs in the dirt.

The Yankees ge nera l ly di d well against curves this year, particularly Aaron Judge — another laudatory skill for a righty hitter and rookie. But Starlin Castro and, particularly, Gary Sanchez do a lot of chasing of balls in the dirt.