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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Aaron Nola’s Knuckle Curve
https://gfycat.com/crispsmallkingbird
Michael Harris II tagged Nola in his first at-bat with a solo home run to right on a high fastball. But the Philly ace made the rookie silly in their next encounter, dropping this beautiful knuckle curve on the outside corner.
Josh Hader’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/whoppingignorantethiopianwolf
Byron Buxton had a productive night with two extra-base hits, including a 449-foot home run. But he probably wants to forget this swing on a slider from Hader in the ninth.
Edwin Díaz’s Fastball
https://gfycat.com/everlastingincompleteamericanratsnake
What can you say about Díaz? He has pitched like a man possessed all year for the Mets. Last night was no exception; he allowed two runners to reach but that was total flukiness on a pair of soft grounders that didn’t leave the infield. Judge grounded into a fielder’s choice but not before being overpowered by this sizzling fastball that tied him in a knot.
Pablo López’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/warpedilliterateairedale
López was brilliant and earned the win recording 11 strikeouts across seven innings while not allowing a walk. He only threw his curveball 14 times and the pitch was incredibly efficient returning a 54% CSW. This curve painted the outside corner and had Brandon Drury thoroughly befuddled to end the sixth.
Spencer Strider’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/marveloushoarsehusky
In his second at-bat, Schwarber took a pair of 97 MPH fastballs from Strider for strikes leaving him no choice but to try and fend off a perfectly located slider on the outside corner and that didn’t end well.
Shane McClanahan’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/pleasantregalarmyworm
McClanahan needed only 81 pitches to cruise through seven innings at Camden Yards. His changeup was just silly good as it returned 14 whiffs on 17 swings. The lefty picked up one of his seven K’s on this perfectly located change to Ryan Mountcastle in the fourth.
Emmanuel Clase’s Cutter
https://gfycat.com/verifiablecookedgartersnake
Recently promoted to the big league roster following the injury to Rafael Devers, Jaylin Davis faced Emmanuel Clase in his final at-bat of the game last night. This blistering cutter was the opening salvo from the Gauardians’ closer. Can you guess how it ended?
Hunter Greene’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/infamoushappygoluckybillygoat
Greene was handed the tough-luck loss last night as the Reds could only manage one run against a brilliant performance from Pablo López. The 22-year-old rookie displayed his usual high octane velocity with his fastball peaking at 103.3 and this slider at 93.7 which drew a weak hack from Avisaíl García in his second at-bat for one of Greene’s six K’s.
Jhoan Duran’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/clumsyfeminineblowfish
Tasked with keeping the game tied 1-1 in the eighth, the Twins relief ace worked his way into and out of trouble with a pair of walks and a hit. Yelich worked him for one of those walks, but not before the former NL MVP offered a weak hack at this tight curveball in the bottom of the zone.
Carlos Rodón’s Fastball
https://gfycat.com/meatymeaslyindigobunting
Ketel Marte has a 14.3% career K rate as a right-handed hitter, so you know anytime he whiffs against a southpaw there’s a decent chance it was something pretty nasty. Enter Rodón who dispatched the switch-hitting second baseman with this high heat for the first out of the sixth.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)