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.
Lou Trivino’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/AjarSlushyKoala
It’s not often we see a guy who makes contact as often as Jose Altuve show up on the Nasty Pitch roundup, but his reaction to this looping curveball on the outside of the plate is absolutely comical. Trivino is one of the more underrated relief pitchers in baseball right now, and you should see plenty more of him in this Nasty Pitch roundups, though none will likely match the hilarity of this one.
Victor Alcantara’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/SkeletalUnripeGuernseycow
Another reliever who hasn’t gotten quite the press he deserves, the sink on this pitch is disgusting. Francisco Cervelli was hopelessly crossed up on this one, though he did deliver a swing that would make his countryman Jhonattan Vegas very proud.
Walker Buehler’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/IllVeneratedDrever
We know that Buehler has some filthy stuff but jeez, I’m not sure how Iglesias even thought swinging at this was a good idea. It’s a testament to the absurd movement Buehler gets on his stuff that a pitch that landed this far outside of the zone elicited a swing, never mind from someone as stingy as Jose Iglesias.
Jeremy Jeffress‘ Fastball
https://gfycat.com/FirstGlassConey
The gorgeous movement to make Jedd Gyorko look foolish is impressive enough, but to have it in such a spot where Grandal could immediately snap up for the twin killing is also sweet. It doesn’t really add to the nastiness of the pitch (which is plenty nasty on its’ own), but seeing it in conjunction with a caught stealing is someone rare and fun I thought I’d share.
Corbin Burnes‘ Slider
https://gfycat.com/BareGoodAfricanhornbill
Not this pitch’s first ride on the Pitcher List train, and if he keeps throwing it like this it won’t be the last either. The half-committal swing from Paul Goldschmidt says it all.
Ryne Stanek’s Splitter
https://gfycat.com/MelodicMeekCuttlefish
You can cross “A Rays RP making the Nasty Pitch Roundup not with a blazing fastball” off your Pitcher List bingo card. The movement is all there though, as this one completely falls off a table to draw the big whiff on Jonathan Villar.
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.
[polldaddy poll=10298191]
Sa-weet Lou!