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 Second 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.
Jose Berrios’ Curveball
https://gfycat.com/ImpartialShadowyBushsqueaker
The young ace has been spectacular for the best team in baseball, pitching to a 3.20 ERA through his first 11 starts. Jose Berrios‘ curveball has certainly been on this list many times before and for good reason; it’s one of the absolute craziest pitches in the league to watch move. Berrios makes this look more like a yo-yo trick than a baseball pitch with how sharply the pitch breaks so quickly, and Ryan Cordell is far, far outmatched.
Walker Buehler’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/WholeDisfiguredBrownbutterfly
The Dodgers offense was cooking tonight, giving Walker Buehler the leeway to kick back and throw his nastiest stuff to a putrid Pirates offense, and this victimization of Gregory Polanco in the fifth is a perfect microcosm of the Pirates night against the young hurler.
Trent Thornton’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/HighFelineDarwinsfox
It’s been an inconsistent year north of the border for Trent Thornton, but a 10 K performance on Friday showed that the 25-year-old righty has plenty of nasty stuff in the tank. His curveball, in particular, was working for him, and I could have picked any number of breaking balls from the performance. He’ll carry a 4.42 ERA and a 9.8 K/9 into his next start.
Tyler Kinley’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/AggravatingEcstaticKitten
Tyler Kinley might take the title of most obscure player I’ve had the honour of chronicling in this segment, and he definitely earned his spot. Victor Robles manages only an awkward swing against a hard breaking, 91 MPH slider from the former Rule V draftee.
Noah Syndergaard’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/ThickHalfCowrie
Thor is better known for his hard stuff, but the God of Thunder can also slow it down quite well, and Nicholas Castellanos looks like an absolute buffoon trying to put bat to ball here. When you’re also having to keep in mind an upper 90’s fastball and low 90’s slider, I can see how Noah Syndergaard has managed the success he has.
Kyle Hendricks‘ Changeup
https://gfycat.com/DapperEvenAfricanparadiseflycatcher
This has been a ridiculously effective pitch for Kyle Hendricks over his major league career, and this might be one of the most ridiculous he’s ever thrown. I can’t even find the heart to poke fun at Nick Senzel for his huge swing and miss when he’s up against stuff like this. After a rough start to the year, Kyle Hendricks is down to a 3.34 ERA more in line with his career marks.
Shane Bieber’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/CarelessRemorsefulArcticseal
I don’t think I’ve seen a pitcher dominate a single batter like Shane Bieber did to Brandon Lowe since Lance McCullers and Cody Bellinger in 2017, and it’s fitting they used the same pitch to give their opponent fits. Of the 16 Shane Bieber pitches Brandon Lowe faced on Friday a whopping 13 were curveballs, and Lowe went 0-for-3 with 3 strikeouts in those plate appearances. I had another eight or so curveballs I could have put here, but this one—to secure his first K of the game—is my personal preference.
GIF of the Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below, and the winner will be featured in the GIF of the Second Quarter Contest.
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