Every morning, the We Love Baseball crew reviews the Nastiest Pitches from the previous day’s games in glorious high-definition GIFs. We want to bring you the highest caliber of nastiness possible, so if you see a nasty pitch, please tell us about it. You can tweet @PitcherList to let us know and we’ll give you a shout-out here in the article if your tip makes the cut.
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Corbin Burnes‘ Two-Seam Fastball
https://gfycat.com/heartfeltsamegrub
Corbin Burnes had a major bounce back start on Friday, striking out seven in six strong innings, calming some concerns after his previous starts’ struggles. Burnes leads off this article like he has done many times this season, with this nasty two-seam fastback that crossed back over the outside corner perfectly located. There was nothing that Brendan Rodgers could do with that pitch but watch and go back to the dugout. (H/T to PL+ member Pete Dixon).
Aaron Nola’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/weepyfabulousflicker
What a day for Aaron Nola, as he struck out 12 over 5.1 strong innings, including a streak of retiring 11 straight via the strikeout, with an extremely impressive 36% CSW. While many of those strikeouts could have found their way on this list, the most impressive was Nola’s first of the afternoon, this curveball bearing down and in causing Michael Conforto to swing right through it and holding the runners on.
Taijuan Walker’s Two-Seam Fastball
https://gfycat.com/wilteduncomfortablefinwhale
Taijuan Walker has been one of the best free agent signings of the entire offseason, with his start on Friday moving him to a 2.38 ERA on the season. Walker impressed on Friday to the tune of a 35% CSW, pacing his way to five strikeouts on the afternoon including this perfectly painted fastball over the inside corner to catch Odubel Herrera looking.
Jon Gray’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/nextmellowamericanrobin
The first start off the Injured List could not have gone any better for Jon Gray, finishing with 10 strikeouts in five scoreless innings, highlighted by a 33% CSW. Gray did not miss a beat and showed some of the flashes we saw from him early in the season, including on this slider down and away causing Willy Adames to just wave through it.
Devin Williams‘ Changeup
https://gfycat.com/adoredwidearachnid
Devin Williams‘ changeup may be the best-looking pitch in all of baseball and he flashed it again on Friday, to maintain the tie game against the Rockies. In extra innings, he came on to preserve the tie, and pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two to pick up the win. One of these two strikeouts, this floating changeup past C.J. Cron ended the inning and helped Williams pick up the win as the Brewers would walk it off next half-inning.
Alek Manoah’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/parchedjointbarasinga
While Alek Manoah waits for the results of his suspension appeal, he looked extremely sharp once again in six strong innings against the Orioles to the tune of a 30% CSW. As his day came to a close, Manoah dropped this nasty slider down and away which Trey Mancini just flailed at for Manoah’s fifth strikeout of the night.
Colin McHugh’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/illinformedflamboyantbutterfly
A rare name on this list, Colin McHugh pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless ball to pick up the win on Friday over the Angels. He ended up striking out 2 of the 4 outs he forced, one of those being this gorgeous slider moving all the way to the left-handed batter’s box which Jose Iglesias had no chance of hitting as he swings way through it.
Tanner Scott’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/parchedanchoredkakarikis
Tanner Scott pitched a perfect eighth inning in order to preserve the tie against the Blue Jays and struck out two Blue Jays, both being strong candidates to make this article. In the end, this slider dropping down causing George Springer to swing right through was the slightly better one, evidence of the strong season Scott is having as he welcomes Springer back from the Injured List.
Carlos Rodon’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/formaladmiredaruanas
While three runs in five innings isn’t exactly what you sign up to get from Carlos Rodon, he did strike out eight batters to at least salvage something for fantasy purposes from this start. He ended his outing with this beautiful slider striking out Luis Torrens, who took him deep earlier in the game (and then added another off the White Sox bullpen).
Yusei Kikuchi’s Fastball
https://gfycat.com/tidyrelievedkoodoo
Squaring off against Rodon on Friday was Yusei Kikuchi, who put together another real impressive outing against the White Sox with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings, while only allowing one run on two hits. Kikuchi flashed an impressive fastball in this outing touching 97 miles per hour here on a perfectly located fastball down and on the inside corner to catch Zack Collins looking, part of a 31% CSW on that pitch.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)