Joe Kelly Threw the Nastiest Pitch of the MLB Season and Fans Wondered How It Was Real

This pitch was just silly.

Andy Nesbitt | May 18, 2023

Joe Kelly Threw the Nastiest Pitch of the MLB Season and Fans Wondered How It Was Real /

In this story:

Chicago White Sox

We’ve seen a lot of nasty pitches so far in the 2023 Major League Baseball season, but what White Sox right-hander Joe Kelly threw during Wednesday night’s game against the Guardians might be the filthiest one of the year.

The reliever threw a perfect eighth inning against the Guardians and he got things started with a baffling strikeout of Tyler Freeman. The poor third baseman tried his best to catch up with Kelly’s 99 mph two-seamer but he never stood a chance and had to make the long walk back to the dugout while probably wondering what had just happened.

Get your seats to Chicago White Sox games with SI Tickets

Look at this pitch:

The movement at the end was just silly.

MLB fans were in awe:

Published May 18, 2023

ANDY NESBITT

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.