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 Nastiest Pitches of the Season 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.
Gerrit Cole’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/BaggyUnitedBinturong
If there was ever a time for Gerrit Cole to come up in the clutch, it was last night. And of course, Cole delivered. He threw seven innings and struck out eight as the Astros took a key Game 5 against the Nats. Cole threw his entire arsenal at the elite level expected of him and only made one mistake (that resulted in a Juan Soto blast). Here, Cole uses his killer slider to get a swinging strike three out of Gerardo Parra in the bottom of the sixth.
Gerrit Cole’s Fastball
https://gfycat.com/BlackandwhiteJampackedErmine
Considering Cole pitched seven innings last night, it was tough to find enough different pitchers who deserved to be featured. So we’ll just go for the next best thing: another sweet Cole offering. Here, Cole delivers a fastball up in the zone, and Ryan Zimmerman offers at it in futility to move the count to 1-2. Cole would follow up his heater with a knuckle-curve in the dirt to get Zimmerman swinging and would eventually strand the two runners on base to end the second with a clean line.
Joe Ross‘ Sinker
https://gfycat.com/FlatDependentAsiaticlesserfreshwaterclam
Joe Ross was not supposed to pitch last night. It was supposed to be Max Scherzer on the mound, but the Nationals’ undisputed ace was suffering from neck and back issues and was scratched in the early afternoon. Unfortunately, Ross couldn’t stop a vicious and unforgiving Houston lineup, who put up four runs on the Nationals’ emergency starter. Although he didn’t have a good outing, he still had some filthy pitches, such as this sinker with which he paints the corner against George Springer.
Daniel Hudson’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/GreatCautiousAntarcticfurseal
Daniel Hudson entered the game in the eighth inning last night, but by then, it was far too late for the Nationals. Hudson surrendered one run in the eighth and then two more in the ninth, which all but guaranteed the Nationals would head back to Houston down 3-2. However, he was able to limit the damage the Astros caused in the eighth by striking out Jake Marisnick on this utterly devastating slider.
Ryan Pressly’s Fastball
https://gfycat.com/WarmheartedJubilantGoldenmantledgroundsquirrel
Ryan Pressly was brought in to close the door on the Nationals, and the All-Star reliever did just that. He pitched a clean 1-2-3 inning, and here is out No. 2, a gorgeous fastball on which Soto can’t hold up. The Astros take command of the series 3-2 and will look to close out the Nats on Tuesday night in Houston.
GIF of the Night
Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below, and the winner will be featured in the Nastiest Pitches of the Season GIF Tournament.
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