Pitcher List was founded on the back of filthy pitches, and we strive to bring you the best of the best every day. However, with over 70+ pitches featured every week, there are a lot to sort through. We ask you, the readers, to vote for your favorite every day, and now is your chance to crown the best of the week.
Every week, we will be featuring the top pitches from each day as voted on by the readers. Then, every Tuesday, you’ll have a chance to vote for your favorite for the week. Make your voice heard in the comments, on Twitter, and in our Discord for which pitch you think is the best!
4/26 – Emmanuel Clase’s Cutter
https://gfycat.com/disloyalveneratedfreshwatereel
This is the first of two Emmanuel Clase cutters that were voted highly by the viewers this week, and I understand why. This one doesn’t quite touch triple digits, but 99 MPH outside of the zone is just enough to make Andrelton Simmons rethink his life choices.
4/26 – Charlie Morton’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/beautifulrelievedbubblefish
This pitch is very reminiscent of a slider thrown by Tanner Houck last season (which happened to win Nastiest Pitch of the year). Is this a nastiest pitch of the year candidate? I’m not sure about that thanks to the stiff competition we’ve already seen in the first month of the season, but Charlie Morton certainly deserves to be included here with this filthy breaker.
4/27 – Corey Kluber’s Curveball
https://gfycat.com/flakybeneficialgnat
This curveball from Corey Kluber doesn’t get as much horizontal movement as Morton’s, but it certainly makes up for a “lack” of movement with more bite. Coming in at 3 MPH faster and featuring much sharper late movement, this pitch is certified disgusting.
4/28 – Blake Treinen’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/sandykindlyattwatersprairiechicken
Talk about bite. This slider from Blake Treinen not only breaks a ton with elite velocity, it also hits its spot perfectly. It’s a perfect pitch and Nick Castellanos can only nod in appreciation. That’s when you know it’s nasty.
4/29 – Shane McClanahan’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/adolescentfocusedlarva
I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is a pitch of the year candidate. 101 MPH with some banana arm-side break is absolutely nuts. This shouldn’t be legal. Shane McClanahan looks to have the makings of a special pitcher with this junk.
4/29 – Adbert Alzolay’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/costlylividhuia
This pitch doesn’t get a ton of movement on it, but the movement it does get comes VERY late and is just enough to slide back over the plate. Let’s be real though—the star of this show is that swing. I often talk about how nasty pitches aren’t always just about the pitch, and this is a prime example. If your pitch can make Ozzie Albies swing like that? Yeah, it’s nasty.
4/30 – Shane Bieber’s Knuckle-Curve
https://gfycat.com/meeksentimentalbullmastiff
I think the three pitches I’ve GIFed the most this year are Devin Williams‘ changeup, César Valdez’s changeup, and Shane Bieber’s knucklecurve. All three are absolutely filthy pitches, yet it seems that one of them continuously appears in the Nastiest Pitches of the Week conversation. The people sure do love this pitch!
4/30 – Yu Darvish’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/coolselfreliantbullfrog
Ahhh. I love late-breaking front-door sinkers. The range of emotions a batter feels in the split second between nearly getting hit (“OH CRAP!”) to striking out (“Oh, crap“) has to be an absolute rush that we couch-surfing baseball fans will never truly understand. Yu Darvish really makes it look so easy.
5/1 – Jonathan Loaisiga’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/bravewholecat
Our fourth sinker for this week is none other than Jonathan Loaisiga’s, which hasn’t been a super effective pitch this season but is nasty nonetheless. A better camera angle would have shown this pitch off even more, but it’s still filthy despite the poor angle.
5/2 – Emmanuel Clase’s Cutter
https://gfycat.com/sentimentalsoftelkhound
Yeah, here’s the second cutter from Emmanuel Clase, and this one does clock in at 100 MPH. And look at that movement! That’s a ton of vertical drop for a triple digit pitch. Just gross.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)