Called Strike Rate

Chase rate asks whether a hitter swings at pitches outside the zone. Called strike rate asks the opposite question. Of the hittable pitches actually in the strike zone, how often does the hitter take one for a strike rather than swinging at it? A high called strike rate can mean a hitter is too passive or too late to recognize a hittable pitch. It can also mean the hitter is too locked into a specific location or pitch type to react to a strike they weren't anticipating.

Called strike rate has to be read alongside chase rate to get an accurate picture of a hitter's decision-making. The two metrics can offset each other in ways that look fine overall but mask a real problem underneath. Say a hitter takes too many hittable strikes and also chases too many pitches out of the zone. That hitter has a general pitch-recognition problem, not two separate, unrelated issues.

Called strike rate rises naturally in early counts, where taking a first-pitch strike carries little cost. It should fall as the count becomes more urgent. A rate that stays high even in two-strike counts is a much bigger red flag than one that is high only in early counts. It suggests the hitter isn't recognizing hittable pitches even under maximum pressure to protect the zone.