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.
Zack Wheeler’s Curveball
Zack Wheeler was wheeling and dealing Monday afternoon against the San Francisco Giants. While Wheeler rode his fastball toward six of his 11 punchouts, he showcased this beautiful curveball that made Matt Chapman look like…well, Matt Chapman. Wheeler went on to tear through the Giants lineup like an F1 race does a tire tread, punching out 11 and coaxing 18 swinging strikes over seven innings. He’s now up to 63 strikeouts, tying Tyler Glasnow for the MLB lead.
Tyler Alexander’s Sweeper
Let’s move from the sunny, warm confines of Citizen Bank Park to the sterile, lifeless shackles of Tropicana Field. Tyler Alexander was on the bump and used his sweeper to make Nicky Lopez reenact the Skyrim NPC spinning death animation. Alexander didn’t exactly shine under the Trop’s ill-lit lights, but the southpaw allowed just two runs struck out seven, and features second on our list.
Cole Ragans‘ Slider
Let’s go from an AL Central team on the wrong end of a nasty pitch to an AL Central team on the right side of the tracks. Cole Ragans continues to establish himself, and sliders like these will only bolster his profile. What makes this slider gnarly isn’t just its horizontal movement but its accuracy. Catcher Salvador Perez barely has to move his mitt to receive this gem. Ragans didn’t stop there, allowing just two hits and two runs while striking out eight in six innings.
Simeon Woods Richardson’s Changeup
Simeon Woods Richardson has everything he needs. He’s an artist who doesn’t hold back. J.P. Crawford found that out the hard way, starring at this changeup that catches the bottom corner of the zone for strike three. It’s a work of beauty that would’ve made the Mona Lisa smile. If Woods Richardson can keep tossing like this, we’ll think he could take the dark out of Minnesota’s nighttime and paint the daytime black.
Luis Castillo’s Fastball
Woods Richardson wasn’t the only pitcher dealing at Target Field Monday night. Where he went low and away, Luis Castillo went high to fool Alex Kirilloff with this rising fastball with movement. It’s hard not to blame Kirilloff for his Charlie Brown-esque reaction. Goodness. Castillo made the rest of the Twins lineup look like the Peanuts, striking out seven and allowing just two runs in his six and two-third innings.
Caleb Thielbar’s Curveball
What’s cooler than two pitches from the Twins-Mariners game? Three pitches. Caleb Thielbar was wired in on Monday night and ended any chance of a Mariners rally with this monstrous curveball to Cal Raleigh. The 37-year-old hasn’t had the best of starts to his season, but all is forgiven when you can hurl gems like these.
Edwin Díaz’s Fastball
Edwin Diaz blew his first save of his season on Sunday and was damned if he’d blow another. Doing that, however, required him to shut down St. Louis in the ninth. More specifically, it required him to blow this 98-mile-per-hour sizzling fastball past Brendan Donovan. It may not dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge through the air like a member of the Average Joe’s, but it more than makes up for it by baffling Donovan.
Mitch Keller’s Sweeper
It’d feel wrong to end Monday’s list without at least one pitch from Mitch Keller’s complete game. Though Keller wasn’t a strikeout machine, cashing just five punch outs and six swinging strikes, this sweeper to Logan O’Hoppe is great. Keller is throwing across his body, letting the pitch leak to the middle of the plate, and then watching as it drifts outside the zone. Keller might not be having his best season and the Angels are far from component, but pitches like these deserve a tip of the cap.
Photos courtesy of Icon Sportswire
Adapted by Kurt Wasemiller (@kurtwasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram