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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Edwin Díaz‘ Slider
https://gfycat.com/sadposhearthworm
After one of the coolest reliever entrances of all time, Diaz immediately got to work and ended the Dodgers’ night in a hurry. He carved up Trea Turner on just three pitches, all sliders above 90 mph. He then made quick work of the next two batters, locking down the save.
Jacob deGrom’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/speedyformalacornwoodpecker
Have you ever wondered what Edwin Díaz would look like if he had the best command in baseball and could start? Well, here’s your answer. deGrom averaged nearly 100 mph on his fastball while also hitting 95 on the gun with his slider. This slider, which clocked in at “only” 94, was perfectly located on the outside corner. deGrom had a 44% CSW in seven innings today, and somehow these ridiculous numbers just seem routine for him.
Trevor Rogers‘ Changeup
https://gfycat.com/verifiableshallowcurlew
Rogers has one of the better changeups of any starter in the league, and he rode it to an NL Rookie of the Year runner-up last season. He earned six of his 12 whiffs on the day with this beautiful change.
Liam Hendriks‘ Slider
https://gfycat.com/vacanthardtofindhousefly
After a week-long losing streak, Lance Lynn had a brilliant start and Hendriks took the 9th to snap the streak. This nasty slider ended the game and includes Hendriks’ excellent win/strikeout celebration on the mound.
Pete Fairbanks‘ Fastball
https://gfycat.com/occasionaltintedbunny
Fairbanks has some of the most ridiculous fastball metrics in the league, averaging nearly 20 inches of induced vertical break. He lives at the top of the zone with it in the upper-90s, and it’s nearly impossible for a batter to not swing right under it.
Nick Sandlin’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/quarrelsomefragrantlark
The Guardians’ bullpen has been incredible this year, ranking 4th in reliever ERA with absolute studs like Emmanuel Clase, Trevor Stephan, and Sandlin. His elite breaking ball looks like a frisbee as it glides towards the plate, fading away from the hitter Ryan Mountcastle and getting a big whiff.
Kyle Wright’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/jampackedjauntyinvisiblerail
Wright’s curveball is probably one of my favorite pitches in all of baseball. It combines crazy velocity (for a breaking ball) with elite movement and control, along with an outlier low release point. His curveball has a ridiculous 38.7% CSW this year, one of the best among any pitches from a starting pitcher.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)