Stephen Strasburg’s Curveball + The Nastiest Pitching GIFs From This Weekend’s Games

Every Monday we review the nastiest pitches from the previous weekends’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. 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.

Congrats to Luis Garcia’s Fastball for winning Nastiest Pitching GIF of the Week! Garcia got ridiculous movement on a hard fastball.

Stephen Strasburg’s Curveball – Strasburg’s Curveball was on point yesterday, and he used it as his out pitch to great effect. This pitch has the bite of a shark as Matt Adams swings through during his Braves debut. (Thanks to Redditors gpgpg and eflitz11 for the tip!)

Chris Archer’s Slider – Archer’s Slider could probably end up in this post every week, but this pitch to Matt Holliday especially deserves it. A hard slider at 92 MPH with that kind of dive is unhittable.

Dellin Betances‘ Curveball – Betances struck out 3 of the 4 batters he faced in his new closer role on Sunday with big heat and his signature Curveball. This pitch to Steven Souza causes a slight flinch then falls into the zone perfectly to end the game. The depth of the break is amazing. (Thanks to Redditor puncturewound for the tip!)

Aaron Nola’s Curveball – It’s great to see Nola pitching again after some back trouble, and he got back into the swing of things right from the start. His curveball also has amazing depth and he can spot it basically wherever he wants. This pitch causes a big flinch from pitcher Chad Kuhl that is a little mean to point out considering Kuhl’s job isn’t hitting.

Luis Severino’s Slider – Severino is throwing harder than ever this year and seems confident that whatever he throws will get hitters out. If I could throw a 90 MPH slider I’d be confident too. This pitch to Derek Norris falls off the table with great bite for the swinging K. (Thanks to Redditor jimmcdermont for the tip!)

Jake Arrieta’s Curveball – Arrieta is one of the most fun pitchers to watch because of the sharp movement he gets on all his pitches. His inconsistency has been an issue, and is something all teams looking to sign the free agent this offseason are worried about. He had it all going yesterday though, and this Curveball to Keon Broxton has a wicked break as it falls into the strikezone.

Jaime Garcia’s Curveball – Garcia had himself a pitcher’s duel with Stephen Strasburg yesterday, but Strasburg was just a bit better in earning the win. Garcia used his command, his Changeup, and a big slow Curveball like this one to Michael Taylor get hitters off balance and out in front.

Keone Kela’s Curveball – The Rangers bullpen has been a waste land of injuries and ineffectiveness this year, so much that Kela is the closer now after disciplinary issues kept him in AAA to start the year. The problem with Kela has never been pure stuff as this hard breaking Curveball to Ian Kinsler shows.

GIF Of The Weekend

Which was your favorite pitch? Vote below and the winner will be featured in the GIF of the Week Contest.

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