In baseball, a slider is a type of breaking ball, a pitch that moves or "breaks" as it approaches the batter. Due to the grip and wrist motion, the slider typically exhibits more lateral movement when compared to other breaking balls, such as the curveball.[1]
The slider is generally among the fastest breaking balls, commonly ranging between 80–90 mph.[2] A variation of the slider, known as the sweeper, is characterized as being slightly slower, but having more lateral movement.[3] Pitches that exhibit qualities similar to that of both a slider and a curveball are referred to as a slurve.[4]