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.
As a bonus for PL+ members, let us know about a pitch on the PL+ Discord in the Nasty Pitches Channel, and if your suggestion is included the next day, you’ll be entered into a weekly drawing for a free T-shirt!
Chris Sale’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/fatalsparklinggander
Kerplunk! This was no Kevin Kiermaier situation, this was just a flat-out filthy pitch from Chris Sale that got so much break it just happened to hit Javier Báez on either the ankle or the foot. And to add insult to injury, it was strike three. The Mets got trounced last night and this was symbolic for how the entire game went for New York.
Clay Holmes‘ Sinker
https://gfycat.com/exaltedunknownalaskanhusky
The amount of movement this sinker gets is disgusting. It literally looks like it’s going to hit Yonny Hernandez in the shoulder before it somehow makes its way back into the middle of the zone. Clay Holmes has some nasty stuff and he should be a viable option out of New York’s bullpen come October.
Brusdar Graterol’s Cutter
https://gfycat.com/offbeatemotionalcopperbutterfly
Brusdar Graterol threw two pitches at 102 MPH last night, but neither was as nasty as this cutter that started middle-in but almost ended up in Ryan McMahon’s midsection. It’s literally an impossible pitch to hit but, as a non-professional baseball player who never made it past Babe Ruth, it also looks like an impossible pitch to lay off. I would swing at this in MLB The Show 10/10 times.
Adbert Alzolay’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/wetecstaticamericanblackvulture
I love a good changeup with a ton of arm-side run and plenty of drop. This pitch from Adbert Alzolay checks off all of the boxes and makes me feel things. My goodness.
Brad Hand’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/linedregularchevrotain
Similar to Chris Sale’s nasty slider but without the ankle-biting, this slider from Brad Hand catches nearly all of the zone on its’ way to the plate but naturally ends up far out of the zone and under the bat of Christian Arroyo.
Jorge Alcala’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/safesandygermanshorthairedpointer
This 91 MPH changeup from Jorge Alcala is absolutely vicious. He looks like he’s throwing 105 out of his shoes, yet this thing moves all over the place and ends up in a spot that very few right-handed hitters have the ability to even make contact with it. Even if they make contact, it’s not going very far. This thing is nasty.
Peter Fairbanks’ Slider
https://gfycat.com/orangebouncybaiji
The Blake Snell blueprint is to throw fastballs high and breaking stuff low. Peter Fairbanks, aka Starebanks, elects to throw fastballs low and breaking stuff even lower. This slider starts off looking like a fastball down the pipe before it plummets to the ground, making Jake Lamb look like a fool.
Jandel Gustave’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/recentshabbykillerwhale
What the heck is it about Tampa Bay and Milwaukee where pitchers literally grow on trees? I don’t understand the science behind it. They’re two totally different climates. And I’m pretty sure people in Milwaukee just water their plants with beer, which can’t be conducive to growing big, strong, pitchers who throw nasty sliders like Jandel Gustave. Maybe I should be drinking more of Milwaukee’s Best instead of all the local Maine craft beer. Hmm.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)