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 and check back this weekend to see if it will be in contention for the GIF of the First Half. Did we miss your favorite pitch? Send us a tweet next time @ThePitcherList and we’ll GIF it up + give you a shoutout here in the article.
Christian Bethancourt’s Eephus – Position players taking the mound always make things interesting, especially when they’re willing to take some chances. This Eephus from the Padres utility man clocked in at 53 mph, giving Seth Smith plenty of time to think about not swinging the bat.
Noah Syndergaard’s Fastball – Thor returned from exile in the 7th and immediately went to work. Watch him shut the door on Adam Eaton with this scorching 101 mph Fastball up in the zone. (Thanks to Redditor greybro for the tip!)
Noah Syndergaard’s Changeup – Just in case you needed a double dose of pitching dominance from Syndergaard, here’s a Changeup from the same inning that asks Todd Frazier politely to take a seat. This ball starts at Frazier’s knees then drops, taking the batter along for the ride. (Thanks to Redditor NonSequiturGuy1 for the tip!)
CC Sabathia’s Slider – Sabathia might be past his prime, but he can still get the job done on the mound. Watch this slider sweep across the plate, inducing a whiff from Edwin Encarnacion.
Aaron Nola’s Fastball – Despite the tough 5-1 loss, Nola earned another quality start yesterday, his eighth straight since giving up seven runs to the Nats back in April. This Fastball demonstrates Nola’s form, painting the inside corner after buckling the knees of Daniel Murphy.
Trevor Cahill’s Changeup – It was a tough outing for Cahill, who took the mound in the 9th. Although he did give up a run, he notched a strikeout with this beautiful Changeup that fooled Chase Utley. (Thanks to Redditor TheBrimic for the tip!)
A.J. Ramos’ Slider – Ramos is a perfect 16-for-16 in save opportunities this year, thanks in part to his nasty breaking ball. Watch this curveball tantalize Starling Marte then bring him down with some late motion. (Thanks to Redditor TFP360 for the tip!)
GIF Of The Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below and the winner will be featured in the GIF of the First Half contest.
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Christopher Chase Edmunds is a writer for Pitcher List. He is working on a Master’s in Journalism at the University of Alabama, where he studies Fantasy Sports Media. He grew up in Alabama, perfecting the knuckleball in the backyard. He can be found streaming Colorado Rockies games and avoiding any association with the Atlanta Braves.