Every morning, the We Love Baseball crew reviews the Nastiest Pitches from the previous day’s games in glorious high-definition GIFs. We want to bring you the highest caliber of nastiness possible, so if you see a nasty pitch, please tell us about it. You can tweet @PitcherList to let us know and we’ll give you a shout-out here in the article if your tip makes the cut.
As a bonus for PL+ members, let us know about a pitch on the PL+ Discord in the Nasty Pitches Channel, and if your suggestion is included the next day, you’ll be entered into a weekly drawing for a free T-shirt!
Corbin Burnes‘ Cutter
https://gfycat.com/artisticdimwittedarabianwildcat
The Twins and Brewers battled in a classic pitching duel of the highest caliber at American Family Field on Saturday, so much so that the two pitchers deserve top billing in my first in-season Nastiest Pitches article. I look forward to bringing you the most ridiculously redoubtable pitches from across Major League Baseball every Sunday morning. What better way to start than with the man causing the supreme intrigue around the fantasy baseball world right now – Corbin Burnes. This insanely wicked 97 mph cutter to fell Max Kepler provoked an exciting “ohhhh yes!” when I saw it live.
José Berrios’ Curveball
https://gfycat.com/possiblewhimsicalcero
Not to be outdone, José Berrios (who came away with the all-important win) matched Burnes in terms of effectiveness throughout the contest. His curveball is his primary weapon and he wielded it with aplomb on Saturday – here is a devastating 85 mph curve that brought out a disgusted look of disbelief from the hapless Orlando Arcia.
Corey Kluber’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/excitableequatorialdegus
The wily veteran has returned from effectively 2 years without pitching competitively and Corey Kluber is looking like his old dominant self. The slider was in perfect harmony with his mechanics as we see here as this delicious 82 mph effort forces Teoscar Hernández to bend the knee.
Jordan Hicks‘ Four-Seam Fastball
https://gfycat.com/slipperycostlygrayfox
“Alexa, show me Jordan Hicks looking like he really wants the closer role in St. Louis” – cue this electric 99 mph four-seam fastball that paints the outside of the plate. Poor Aristides Aquino just watches it sail by the bus he needed to catch.
Tanner Houck’s Slider
https://gfycat.com/complexsafedowitcher
The giant young right-hander Tanner Houck is the lone bright spark in the Red Sox rotation and we sincerely hope the club doesn’t choose to limit his innings this year. His repertoire was on dazzling display over five impressive innings against the Orioles, and this phenomenal 84 mph slider completely embarrassed hitter Anthony Santander.
Rafael Montero’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/illinformedablealdabratortoise
Another Mariners trade that seems to have worked out nicely for the club brought Dominican Rafael Montero to Seattle from Texas in the off-season. They want him to prioritize his two-seamer and faze out his four-seamer. That is just fine with me, he has one of the best sinkers in baseball. This was the second of back-to-back sinkers to a befuddled Evan Longoria, a 94 mph gem perfectly placed on the inside of the strike zone.
Kendall Graveman’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/SomeTatteredHoopoe
Montero wasn’t the only Mariners pitcher displaying an elite two-seam fastball against the Giants – Kendall Graveman looked in mouth-watering form and thanks to a tip-off from Pitcher List+ member Burial, this delectable 96 mph sinker was just too nasty to leave out.
Logan Webb’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/idealisticnastyasiandamselfly
I am all about the unheralded starters who are working hard to improve their craft, and Giants starter Logan Webb looks to be developing an effective off-speed array of pitches that could take him to the next level. Here is a bottom-dropping 86 mph changeup that fools the pants off rookie Taylor Trammell.
Alex Cobb’s Splitter
https://gfycat.com/afraidbreakableincatern
One of the best executors of the split-finger fastball in Major League Baseball, Alex Cobb is hoping to follow in Dylan Bundy’s footsteps and resurrect his career in Anaheim. The former Orioles starter was always a threat with his beloved splitter, this 87 mph specimen completely confounded Luis Robert.
Jonathan Loaisiga’s Changeup
https://gfycat.com/talldamagedemperorshrimp
Boasting an impressive stat-line as a long relief specialist, young Yankee Jonathan Loaisiga looked unhittable in throwing two innings in relief of Corey Kluber. The best of his three strikeouts was thanks to this sumptuous 91 mph changeup to the dangerous Cavan Biggio.
Charlie Morton’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/skinnyultimateanchovy
Charlie Morton against Zack Wheeler was the veteran matchup of the day and both pitchers put up stellar outings. Morton set up Jean Segura beautifully with three sliders low and away before striking him out with this vicious 95 mph two-seamer high and away. Nasssssty!
Zack Wheeler’s Sinker
https://gfycat.com/kaleidoscopicmeanfruitfly
“Hey Charlie, cute sinker. Might throw mine later.” Zack Wheeler’s 98 mph two-seam offering to strike out Marcell Ozuna shows why the big Phillies right-hander should be a fantasy darling in 2021.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)