Every morning, we review the nastiest pitches from the previous day’s games in glorious high-definition GIFs. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite pitch and check back this weekend to see if it will be in contention for the Nastiest Pitches of the Season GIF Tournament. Did we miss your favorite pitch? Send us a tweet next time @PitcherList, and we’ll GIF it up and give you a shoutout here in the article
Anibal Sanchez’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/AmbitiousFamiliarErmine
Through five innings, all was looking good for the Nationals. They got to Cy Young contender Hyun-Jin Ryu early and were holding a lead thanks to the masterful performance of Anibal Sanchez, who allowed just one run and struck out nine. Sanchez’s changeup was nearly unhittable last night. He threw the pitch just nine times but induced five swinging strikes from opposing hitters, including this one that dropped just under the bat of Gavin Lux.
Mike Soroka’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/GloriousUntriedAfricanbushviper
Mike Soroka will likely be a top-three Rookie of the Year candidate in the NL, and yesterday, he showed exactly why he belongs in that conversation. Soroka pitched sensationally, throwing seven innings, striking out nine, and allowing just one runner to cross the plate. Soroka started the night strong with a filthy slider that gets an even filthier check-swing whiff from Dexter Fowler.
Carlos Martinez’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/PositiveCalmAntelope
Oh boy, Carlos Martinez, this is one you won’t forget anytime soon. The Cardinals closer was tasked with maintaining a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, but he absolutely blew it, allowing three runs to cross the plate and losing a key Game 3 for his team. However, Martinez was good starting off, as you can see him make the first out of the ninth on this beauty of a changeup that Nick Markakis swings at for strike three.
Adam Wainwright’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/SnarlingSimilarAfricanwilddog
Moving on to the man who kept the Cardinals ahead of the Braves for most of the game. Adam Wainwright was phenomenal last night, throwing 7.2 innings, and allowing just six baserunners. Wainwright had just about everything working for him yesterday, but it still wasn’t enough to put his team over the top. Here, Waino uses his nasty sinker that runs in and freezes Ozzie Albies at the plate for a strike three called.
Adam Wainwright’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/PlayfulAcrobaticBarnswallow
There weren’t many pitchers going yesterday, and Wainwright’s performance was easily the best of the bunch. Had it not been for the blown save by CarMart, Wainwright would’ve been the hero in St. Louis. However, no matter how well you play individually, baseball is a team sport, and in the end, it’s how the team plays as a whole that determines the outcome. Despite the loss, Waino was more than deserving of two spots here today, so here’s his wicked curve to Dansby Swanson.
GIF of the Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below, and the winner will be featured in the Nastiest Pitches of the Season GIF Tournament.
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