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 September Nastiest Pitches 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.
Charlie Morton’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/helplessyearlyindianrhinoceros
Joining the Justin Verlander Club for Ageless Wonders, Charlie Morton has had the best season of his 12-year career in Tampa Bay at age 35, posting career bests in ERA (3.05), K/9 (11.1), WHIP (1.08), innings (194.2), wins (16), strikeouts (240), and numerous other stats. Staying healthy for a full season has been enormously helpful in that endeavor, but volume alone doesn’t account for how incredibly efficient he’s been with said innings. He’d be a prime Cy Young candidate in any other season.
Jacob deGrom’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/happyimpossiblegossamerwingedbutterfly
Wednesday was an outright embarrassment for the man considered the best in baseball, absolutely bombing against the lowly Marlins. Just kidding. Jacob deGrom allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings, marking his third straight game without allowing a run, as well as 23 straight scoreless innings. He lowered his ERA to 2.43 in the process and dropped his WHIP to a microscopic 0.971. Even calling the NL Cy Young Award a race at this point is insulting to the season deGrom has had, and the voting likely won’t be remotely close.
Anibal Sanchez’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/cleansharpcottonmouth
Though he wasn’t able to repeat his amazing 2.83 ERA from last season, Anibal Sanchez has been perfectly fine after signing with the Nationals, with a 3.85 ERA over 30 starts in the nation’s capital. Given that Sanchez had a 5.67 ERA between 2015 and 2017, his 3.41 mark over the past two seasons is especially remarkable.
Daniel Norris‘ Changeup
https://gfycat.com/limpingbowedambushbug
2019 has been yet another disappointing season for Daniel Norris, with a 4.49 ERA over his 32 starts for a putrid Tigers team. Norris has yet to live up to the expectations placed on him in the David Price trade, but he’s still only 26 and has plenty of time to figure things out. With six seasons under his belt already though, it’s fair to wonder when that will be, if ever.
Drew Smyly’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/snivelingshinycrownofthornsstarfish
Given what a disastrous season Drew Smyly has had split between Texas and Philadelphia, his 6.1-inning, 10-strikeout outing against the Nationals on Wednesday is particularly surprising. Once a promising pitcher, posting a 3.24 ERA over his first 395 major league innings, multiple major injuries have severely limited Smyly’s effectiveness and made him into a husk of what he once looked like he could be. That potential will still keep him picking up odd jobs with major league teams, but it’s sad to see such a promising career go south so quickly.
Ken Giles‘ Slider
https://gfycat.com/vengefulaggravatingcarp
One of the more accomplished relievers in baseball over the past few seasons (outside of a couple of dud seasons), Ken Giles has shown more of the same with a 1.90 ERA in 2019, saving 22 games for the Blue Jays. Assuming he keeps that mark close to where it is now, it will be his third season in just six years finishing with an ERA under 2.00, as well as third season of 20-plus saves. As good as Robert Osuna’s been for the Astros, it looks like the Jays won that trade.
GIF of the Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below, and the winner will be featured in the September Nastiest Pitches GIF Tournament.
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