Every morning we review the nastiest pitches from the previous day’s games in glorious HD GIFs. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite pitch and check back this weekend to see if it will be in contention for the GIF of the First Half Contest. Did we miss your favorite pitch? Send us a tweet next time @PitcherList and we’ll GIF it up + give you a shoutout here in the article.
[gfycat data_id=”FreshEvilGrackle”]
Blake Snell’s Slider – The 25-year-old Snell oozed nonchalance on this sweeping slider to Boston’s Andrew Benintendi. Though he only picked up two strikeouts in his season debut, he had obvious swing-and-miss stuff at his disposal over his 5.2 innings of three-hit ball.
[gfycat data_id=”MeekBelatedCrustacean”]
Arodys Vizcaino’s Slider – Vizcaino’s fist-pump and hop will make you want to skip your morning caffeine fix after watching this one a few times, as his slider to Rhys Hoskins in the top of the ninth dropped the slugger to one knee and preserved a 4-4 tie between Philadelphia and Atlanta.
[gfycat data_id=”FlawlessLonelyBorderterrier”]
Max Scherzer’s Changeup – Scott Schebler shouldn’t take this one too hard, because Washington’s ace fired off a gem Friday by striking out 10 in six innings—including seven K’s in a row—and embarrassing several Reds in the process. It was tough to pick a single example of Scherzer’s dominance, but this changeup had the Cincinnati outfielder bumbling around like an infomercial actor trying to figure out how that dang wooden contraption in his hands worked.
[gfycat data_id=”ImmediateGrimyCatfish”]
Masahiro Tanaka’s Splitter – Tanaka helped the Yankees improve to 2-0 behind eight strikeouts over six innings and 79 pitches. This splitter put down the Blue Jays’ Curtis Granderson to open the fourth and was part of a string of 13 consecutive retired batters for the Japanese star.
[gfycat data_id=”HairyGrippingCygnet”]
Aaron Sanchez’s Changeup – The Yankees knocked Sanchez around a bit has he gave up eight hits, four walks and had two strikeouts in 5.2 frames. However, you wouldn’t know it from this piece of filth to Giancarlo Stanton. Here’s hoping he can avoid his 2017 blister troubles and give us more flashes like this.
[gfycat data_id=”ObviousDisgustingBarb”]
Doug Fister’s Curveball – Fister’s offering to Houston’s Marwin Gonzalez looked like it had aspirations of dropping into orbit as it hurtled toward Robinson Chirinos‘ glove. The 34-year-old may be well past his prime, but if he’s going to hold down a rotation spot, it’ll be with junk like this.
[gfycat data_id=”AdoredAnguishedCockatiel”]
Nick Pivetta’s Curveball – Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki appeared as though he wanted to replicate his career-high 19 home runs from 2017 all on one swing Friday. He got a nice stumble in an unwanted direction instead. Pivetta only lasted four innings before manager Gabe Kapler trotted out eight relievers to help scrap out a 5-4 win, though there still wasn’t the pitch-count controversy of the previous game involving Aaron Nola. We’re not mad or anything. Just don’t mess with Nola day around here.
[gfycat data_id=”YearlyNaughtyFlycatcher”]
Jose Alvarado’s Two-Seamer – Ninety-eight mph with late life down and in? Didn’t see that coming. And neither did Boston’s Rafael Devers. Tampa may have lost 1-0, but it was through no fault of the pair of Rays hurlers who bookend Friday’s nastiest pitches.
GIF Of The Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below and the winner will be featured in the GIF of the First Half Contest.
[polldaddy poll=9972595]