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.
Kyle Harrison’s Curve
Kyle Harrison didn’t have an outing to write home about, getting lifted in the fourth with two down while throwing 61 pitches. However, he tossed a few pretty-looking curves, this one striking out CJ Abrams for the second time. The curve, or slurve, depending on your source, has been his best pitch by far, with a 5.61 PLV (95th percentile).
Frankie Montas‘ Splitter
The Brewers tattooed Charlie Morton for eight runs on nine hits. Frankie Montas, on the other hand, was, well, at least slightly better. He didn’t qualify for the win, but he struck out seven, so there’s that, at least. I’ll admit, I was a little interested when the Brewers acquired Montas at the deadline, thinking he might be an interesting bounce-back candidate down the stretch. It hasn’t happened so far, but this splitter was nasty. Spoiler alert: Orlando Arcia went around on the appeal.
Robert Suarez’s Fastball
Robert Suarez recorded his 25th save by blowing away Bryan De La Cruz with this 100 mph heater. The Padres splashed at the deadline, acquiring Tanner Scott from the Marlins, but Suarez looks like he’s still the guy in the ninth. At the very least, the Padres have built a very good bullpen with Scott, Suarez, and Jeremiah Estrada that will make them tough in a short series come October.
Bryan Woo’s Changeup
Bryan Woo doesn’t throw many changeups, 8% to be exact. However, this one was a beauty, making Colt Keith look silly for his second strikeout of the night.
Tyler Anderson’s Changeup
Tyler Anderson marched into the Bronx and pitched brilliantly, holding the Yankees to just one run on three hits across six innings. His first of seven punchouts came on a perfectly located change on the outside corner. Hang it in the Louvre.
Manuel Rodríguez’s Slider
Manuel Rodríguez doesn’t have a great strikeout rate (22.6%), but he’s got a pretty darn good slider. It has returned a 17.5% SwStr rate while holding batters to a .243 xwOBA (66th percentile). This sharp slider to Paul Goldschmidt helped set up a key double play that helped the Rays escape the seventh with their 5-4 lead intact.
Hunter Greene’s Splitter
Hunter Greene didn’t have a huge night in Miami, holding the Marlins to three runs across six while striking out five. But he tossed a couple of good-looking splitters, this one dispatching Jesús Sánchez for his third strikeout. A new addition to Greene’s arsenal this year, the splitter hasn’t really been great as a whole, earning a 4.85 PLV while yielding just a 12.1% SwStr rate. Still, it’s given him a different look as a third pitch.
Yimi García’s Changeup
Traded at the deadline from Toronto, Yimi García has posted a career-best 34.3% K rate, along with a 2.75 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. As you’d probably guess, all of García’s pitches have been great. His main pitch, the heater, has held hitters to an 85th percentile xwOBA. His fourth pitch, the changeup (9% thrown), has been pretty good, too, returning a 22.7% SwStr (85th percentile). Pretty easy to see why. This one, to Wenceel Pérez, had the makings of a trap door.
Orion Kerkering’s Sweeper
Well, anytime you can make Ketel Marte look bad, you’ve gotta be doing something right. However, Marte battled back with a nine-pitch walk, and Jake McCarthy followed with a two-run dinger, spoiling Kerkering’s night. Still, the Phillies escaped with a 6-4 win. Armed with a fastball that can touch triple digits and this nasty sweeper, you don’t have to squint too hard to see Kerkering potentially becoming a closer in the not-too-distant future. But for now, he’s excellent depth in a loaded Philly pen.
Hunter Greene’s Slider
We’ll end with another from Greene, who tied Vidal Bruján in a knot with a slider that looks like it nearly sliced his ankles in two. But it didn’t because he hit a two-run single two pitches later. Such is life.