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 GIF of the First Quarter Contest. 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.
Chaz Roe’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/SparseFaintIvorygull
If you were to ask me if I ever get bored writing about Chaz Roe, I’d tell you that I absolutely do not. It’s such a pleasure to marvel at the beauty of his stupidly wicked slider day after day. And today, we’ve got another one. The victim here is Dwight Smith Jr., but I don’t think even Mike Trout would be able to lay off this insane offering.
James Paxton’s Knuckle-Curve
https://gfycat.com/ForcefulImaginativeAustralianfreshwatercrocodile
James Paxton threw an absolute gem last night for the Yankees, throwing seven shutout frames and striking out an even dozen while only allowing one hit. Paxton threw his four-seamer, cutter, and knuckle-curve as well as we’ve seen all year. His curve was especially filthy, as it registered 15/27 CSW, which included this whiff that ran in on the back foot of Danny Santana.
Diego Castillo’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/BlushingHeavyAsianwaterbuffalo
Moving back to the Rays’ relievers, we’ve got Diego Castillo up here. Castillo has been a solid late-inning reliever, sporting a K/9 north of 10 and an ERA below four. Here, Castillo ran a devastating back foot slider in on Chris Davis, and the Orioles lefty had no chance of hitting this one.
Max Scherzer’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/PleasingAlertBluewhale
Have we reached peak LOLMets? Last night, the Metropolitans took a six-run lead into the bottom of the ninth, only to allow seven runs to the Nationals, capped off with a Kurt Suzuki three-run blast. The sad part is that the Mets got to Max Scherzer for the most part last night. The Nationals ace allowed four earned runs, but he still managed seven strikeouts, which included this sweet offering that missed Todd Frazier’s bat.
Mike Clevinger’s Fastball
https://gfycat.com/RealTepidBunny
Mike Clevinger continued to dominate on the mound last night, throwing seven solid innings of work in which he allowed two runs and punched out nine White Sox. Clevinger went with his curveball a whole lot last night, but his nicest offering was on a fastball, this one that runs across the plate to freeze Jose Abreu.
Jack Flaherty’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/ShyTautBantamrooster
Jack Flaherty joined Paxton in the one-hit club last night. The Cardinals ace one-upped the Yankees southpaw’s seven innings of one-hit ball by throwing eight frames of his own. He struck out eight opposing hitters and lowered his ERA to 3.14 on the season. Flaherty’s sickest strikeout was his first of the night, a slider that he places perfectly right under the bat of Brandon Belt.
GIF of the Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below, and the winner will be featured in the GIF of the First Quarter Contest.
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