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 First 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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Clayton Kershaw’s Curveball – Everyone knows how good Kershaw’s curve is – I mean, just look at this beauty. Brian Anderson got straight up beat here by the best 12-6 curve in the game. It wasn’t Kershaw’s best night, but when this bender comes your way, you are going to have a bad at-bat.
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Scott Alexander’s Slider – There are knee-buckling curves and apparently bat throwing sliders. I’m pretty sure when your bat ends up on first base – you’ve been had. Guess what Justin Bour? You have no chance at contact on this one. Keep that in your bank next time you see Alexander.
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David Robertson’s Curveball – This Robertson curve almost appears to rise before the bottom drops out and in drifts inside. This filthy curve went from elbows to shins and Joe Mauer missed it by a mile.
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Edwin Diaz’s Fastball – Nope. Just nope. Why don’t you all just fade away? That’s exactly what this Diaz pitch on the outside corner did. Edwin Diaz has some nasty stuff and tonight he had a 33% whiff rate on his two-seamer.
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Jake Arrieta’s Changeup – Ketel Marte is lucky his helmet stayed on with this magical changeup that Arietta bent to his will. This changeup that bent and dropped is the kind of pitch you pull an oblique on. Good luck Marte.
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Justin Verlander’s Curveball – Verlander was dealing against the Angels in this matinee game. He racked up 9 Ks in 7 innings thanks to pitches like this slider against Rene Rivera.
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Adam Ottavino’s Slider – The word is out on Ottavino’s slider and it’s just not fair. He’s a regular on these recaps and rightly so. Even in the thin of Denver, he can hook this slider across the plate, giving you little chance but to whiff – and when that comes in on you as a lefty, it’s even worse, just ask Carlos Asujae.
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Felix Hernandez’s Changeup – Hernandez didn’t get a lot of whiffs tonight, but this mad changeup made Trayce Thompson look every bit the fool for thinking he could catch up with this one.
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Zack Greinke’s Eephus – Greinke broke out this 70 MPH eephus pitch against an unsuspecting Rhys Hoskins. It was a bit like an illusion – appearing as if the ball went right through the bat but you are going to have a hard time making contact with that much vertical movement.
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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Last gif is Odorizzi, not Greinke. Still a good pitch though.
It’s been fixed, thanks for the heads up!
Thanks for getting that for me! Must have grabbed the wrong code :)
Ottavino. it’s always Ottavino.
R-Rob’s curve made me laugh out loud when he threw it last night, so you know I gotta give it to him.