Every morning, the We Love Baseball crew reviews the Nastiest Pitches from the previous day’s games. If you see something you think should be included here be sure to tweet @PitcherList to let us know. Or, if you’re a PL+ Member and part of our Discord, shout it out in the Nastiest Pitches channel.
Hayden Birdsong’s Curveball
This bird got the worm in a big way and they should write a song about it! In all seriousness, Hayden Birdsong twirled a gem on Sunday, striking out 12 en route to a victory in Colorado. The curveball returned a ridiculous 58% CSW on 33 thrown, and you can see why with how much nasty movement that thing gets.
Bryan Woo’s Sinker
Woo’s reaction makes the GIF. This was a pretty pitch with a better reaction and I’m all here for it.
Brandon Pfaadt’s Sweeper
Brandon Pfaadt ate the Cubs for lunch and even left room for seconds. He held Chicago to one hit over seven strong innings, only allowing two baserunners along the way.
Brandon Pfaadt’s Changeup
It’s a shame the bullpen couldn’t help pull out the win for Pfaadt, because he shined in this outing. He earned a 50% CSW mark on the changeup alone, which mystified rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong here.
Jake Cousins‘ Slider
I had no idea that Jake Cousins was on the Yankees until today. His slider, in my opinion, is one of the nastiest in the game and he shows it off here.
Lucas Erceg’s Sinker
Lucas Erceg is quickly climbing up the “nastiest reliever in baseball” ranks, and this sinker in on the hands of Zach Neto is just the latest example of what he brings to the filth table.
Michael King’s Changeup
I had six changeups from Michael King’s outing that were worthy of being featured here. And, not surprisingly, the pitch had a 43% CSW on the day. I chose this one because Will Brennan’s helmet nearly fell off, but that’s honestly the only reason. King was filthy on Sunday.
Ryan Yarbrough’s Curveball
This nasty curveball from Ryan Yarbrough strikes out arguably the hottest hitter in the AL in Jarren Duran, fresh off his All-Star MVP performance. Duran jacked a two-run home run early on to open the scoring in this game, but Yarbrough had the last laugh with this strikeout.
Kyle Finnegan’s Splitter
The Nationals’ broadcast let out a collective “oof” after this pitch, and I agree. It’s not always that clear when a pitch passes the “oof” test – usually, it’s just me saying it in my head. Thanks for the help, gentlemen.
Tyler Phillips‘ Curveball
We might be saving the best pitch for last. Tyler Phillips has exploded onto the scene for the Phillies, striking out seven in four innings of relief in his major league debut a few weeks ago and now holding the Pirates scoreless through six strong frames. His sweeper is his main weapon, but it’s this curveball that strikes out Oneil Cruz that was his nastiest pitch of the day.