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.
Jose Berrios’ Curveball
https://gfycat.com/waterywideeyedkudu
It’s been a minute since I’ve gotten to take a look at Jose Berrios‘ ridiculous curveball, and you certainly won’t catch me complaining. He hasn’t built on the K/9 gains he made last season (dropped from 9.5 to 8.6) but his 3.58 ERA is a career best, and he’ll likely come away with a career high in IP as well. The Twins are a team on the rise, and Jose Berrios is a huge part of that.
Robbie Ray’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/falseexcitableclam
This has been about the season most expected from Robbie Ray. Respectable ERA? Check. Low IP per Start? Check. Spectacular K/9? Check. Plenty of walks allowed? Check. The 27 year-old fireballer is a free agent after next season, and it should be interesting to see what kind of contract he’s able to command. I think I speak for everyone though when I say please, please don’t let him wind up in Houston.
Ryan Eades‘ Changeup
https://gfycat.com/constantdangerousdutchsmoushond
Plucked off of waivers from the Twins, Ryan Eades‘ brief major league career has been solid, with a 2.25 ERA and 10.13 K/9. I honestly don’t have a lot to say here—Eades has slaved away in the minors since 2013 before finally making his MLB debut this season. He was a starter for a period of time, but it appears based on his major and minor league usage of late, he’ll be staying in the bullpen for now.
Garrett Richards‘ Slider
https://gfycat.com/warmheartedagilebuzzard
Garrett Richards made his first start of the season coming off of Tommy John surgery, with mixed results. He struck out 5 over 3 2/3 IP, though also allowed 5 hits and 3 ER. Injuries have severely limited how much we’ve been able to watch Richards, but he’s been very good when he’s managed to stay healthy. The signing could pay off big for the Padres next season, especially if they can manage to get a full season out of him.
Kelvin Herrera’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/unnaturalcrisplangur
This season has been a brutal one for Kelvin Herrera, with the two-time All Star pitching to a 6.75 ERA. Given that he owned a career ERA under 3 coming into this year, seeing him pitch so poorly is shocking. He still has another year in Chicago to figure things out, but man, his $9M per year is not looking like a particularly great investment for the ChiSox.
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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