Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Toronto Blue Jays (Photo by All-Pro Reels Photography, via Wikimedia).
This weekly article looks at some poorly performing pitches that batters take full advantage of in the MLB. Not every selection will be a home run; they could be extra-base hits or hard-hit singles. Our criteria are that the pitch didn’t go as planned, with negative consequences.
We do our best to provide you with some context on the pitcher, the pitch, and the situation. For example, what the pitch should have done and how it failed to do so. Also, if possible, we’ll provide the spin rate of the pitch.
Does the pitcher have control issues? Is this a new pitch he’s working on? Or did he just miss? We’ll also point out the pitch’s location, where the catcher wants it, and where it ends up.
Let’s get into it.
Trey Cabbage is a minor league outfielder for the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. However, he’s not one of their top 30 prospects. Regardless, he absolutely crushes this mistake pitch. I mean, the exit velocity is 121 mph! No left-hander has ever had an exit velocity of more than 120 mph.
Here’s the situation. It’s the top of the fifth inning, and Cabbage is up there with two outs. The catcher wants the pitch low and away. Unfortunately, the pitcher badly misses his location with a fastball. Leaving the pitch over the middle of the plate. On the first pitch Cabbage sees, he says, “Forget this pitch!” and gets a rocket single.
Rookie Spencer Torkelson is a highly-touted prospect (fourth on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100). The first overall pick in the 2020 MLB made Detroit’s Opening Day roster this season. Like many rookies, he is struggling to hit major league pitching.
However, his first MLB hit gets featured here on #ForgetThisPitch. Here, Boston’s Rich Hill misses his spot with his 89 mph fastball. Boston’s catcher calls for the pitch low and away, and Hill throws it low and inside, right in Torkelson’s wheelhouse. The rookie takes Hill’s 0-1 pitch to right-center field for a double.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr had a big night in New York. Take your pick as to what feat is most impressive.
A) He went 4-for-4.
B) NYY outfielder spiked his finger in the second inning, but he stayed in the game.
C) The young slugger hit three home runs; the second coming 10 minutes after his finger was a bloody mess.
Quick recap: First inning Vlad Jr. hits a home run. Second inning Aaron Hicks steps on Guerrero’s right hand as Hicks runs through the bag. In the third, another home run of Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. Three innings later, he chased Cole from the game with a double, making him three for three against the former Cy Young winner). Finally, Guerrero capped off his night with a homer in the eighth.
We highlight his final home run here. Reliever Jonathan Loaisiga is on the mound in the top of the eighth inning. With nobody out in the eighth inning, Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka wants the pitch low and inside. As in the bottom of the strike zone, knee-high and about a foot off the plate inside to Guerrero. Loaisiga missed his spot, about a foot high and on the inside edge of the strike zone, with a 95 mph fastball.
If you have a suggestion for “Forget this Pitch,” please let us know in the comments section below.