Every morning, we review the nastiest pitches from the previous day’s games in glorious high-definition 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 Quarter Contest. Did we miss your favorite pitch? Send us a tweet next time @PitcherList, and we’ll GIF it up and give you a shoutout here in the article.
Blake Treinen’s Cutter
https://gfycat.com/givingindolentgermanpinscher
Blake Treinen has flown under the radar a little bit this year, but he’s above the clouds now. Treinen’s a nastiest pitch Hall of Famer because of pitches like this hard diving cutter to Carlos Gonzalez.
Gerrit Cole’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/livecolossalbigmouthbass
Gerrit Cole produced at least five pitches that could make this list, but I chose this slider for the velocity and swift movement across the zone. The slow-mo shot is a great view of the ball moving away from Joey Gallo’s bat.
Trevor Bauer’s Knuckle-Curve
https://gfycat.com/terrificamusedblackrussianterrier
I hope everyone isn’t getting bored of Trevor Bauer’s inclusion in Nastiest Pitches virtually every start. Bauer’s versatile arsenal produces at least a flash of nastiness (usually a storm) every time he’s on the mound. Bauer’s breaking ball left Nick Hundley complaining to the umpire who should be proud of his correct strike call.
Max Scherzer’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/forkedevergreengoral
Max Scherzer was his normal workhorse self, using mostly his fastball, but when he did go to his slider it was up to his standard. This slider finishes off Enrique Hernandez.
Jose Alvarado’s Two-seam Fastball
https://gfycat.com/skinnydelayedherald
Jose Alvarado left mouths agape with that cartoonish break he gets on his high speed two-seamer. Gary Sanchez is so close to fouling this pitch off. The vicious spin, however, takes the pitch away from Sanchez’s bat and almost out of Travis D’arnaud’s glove.
Walker Buehler’s Knuckle-Curve
https://gfycat.com/fearlessrichblowfish
Walker Buehler’s put away pitch is the sharp knuckle-curve. Buehler used the finisher to get out of a jam by striking out Gerardo Parra.
Zach Eflin’s Two-seam Fastball
https://gfycat.com/sizzlingshimmeringantarcticgiantpetrel
Zach Eflin pitched extremely well against hapless Royals yesterday, but he should give a big thank you to the umpire for a wildly loose strike zone. Eflin didn’t need any help on this pitch, which landed right on the outside black to strike out Chris Owings.
Jacob deGrom’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/formaldistinctegg
Jacob deGrom didn’t get any help last night from a suddenly anemic Mets’ offense, though that should be no surprise for deGrom at this point in his career. deGrom displayed a great fastball that set up pitches like this changeup that drops away from Neil Walker’s bat.
GIF of the Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below, and the winner will be featured in the GIF of the First Quarter Contest.
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