Every morning we review the nastiest pitches from the previous day’s games in glorious HD 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 GIF of the Second Half Contest. Did we miss your favorite pitch? Send us a tweet next time @PitcherList and we’ll GIF it up + give you a shoutout here in the article
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Blake Treinen’s Sinker – Sure, the A’s closer doesn’t gas it up to 100-plus on the regular like a certain Cardinals rookie, but it’s still not clear how anyone could touch this fastball to Nick Castellanos. Or this one to Ronny Rodriguez. Or any number of others Treinen laid on Tigers hitters Friday night during his scoreless pair of innings.
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Justin Anderson’s Slider – Michael Brantley may not have given the respectful nod a pitch like this can sometimes draw from a batter, but he still looked like he knew he’d been bested by grimy stuff as he tip-toed toward the Cleveland dugout following Anderson’s slide piece.
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Luis Severino’s Fastball – Rick Porcello outpitched Sevy by tossing a complete game in Boston’s 4-1 win and featuring some nice pitches of his own. But 99 mph on the inside corner? The Red Sox starter didn’t feature any of that, and Jackie Bradley Jr. didn’t quite have the reaction time to know what to do with Severino’s heater once it arrived.
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Vince Velasquez’s Curveball – VV dropped the hammer on Magneuris Sierra with this sixth-inning curve, and though he didn’t strike out the rookie who headed to Miami as part of the Marcell Ozuna deal, the Phillies starter did pick up seven K’s in 6.1 innings. VV definitely has my attention against bad lineups.
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Justin Verlander’s Slider – Verlander toyed with Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal, setting him up with his heater and a big curveball before dropping in this slider for one of his 14 strikeouts on the night. The Astros righty finished with 21 whiffs induced in all.
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Sergio Romo’s Slider – The ostensible Rays closer worked a clean ninth inning to preserve a 2-2 tie with the White Sox in part thanks to this sweeping filth to Jose Abreu. Bonus: The White Sox first baseman looked down at his bat as if the prodigious whiff were the wood’s fault.
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Robert Stock’s Fastball – Stock got feisty on this swinging K of Chicago’s David Bote, and even though Anthony Rizzo touched him up for a home run on the next at-bat, the life on the 28-year-old’s fastball has become something to look forward to late in Padres games.
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Patrick Corbin’s Slider – Corbin back-footed Andrew McCutchen with this sexy slide piece as one of 12 swings-and-misses he induced on this pitch. He also picked up eight K’s in six innings.
GIF of the Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below, and the winner will be featured in the GIF of the Second Half Contest.
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Anibal Sanchez threw this weird eephus pitch four or five times last night, including his last pitch and strikeout of the game…sight to behold.
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