It’s nearly impossible to identify the “best” pitch thrown by a major league pitcher in a given month. The folks at FanGraphs, however, have found a way to rank the worst.
Using distance from the center of the strike zone as its criteria, the analytics-based site last week published a list of the 10 wildest pitches that got away from hurlers during the month of June.
As it turns out, Boston Red Sox leadoff hitter Brock Holt saw the very worst — a runaway changeup from Tampa Bay Rays reliever Juan Carlos Oviedo on June 1 that nearly hit the Fenway Park backstop on a fly.
Oviedo’s pitch missed the center of the zone by a whopping 72.8 inches, narrowly earning him the crown over St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Marco Gonzales (70.4).
Oviedo was not at his best in that game, walking a season-high three batters in one inning of a 4-0 Red Sox win, but his performance practically was Cy Young-worthy compared to his most recent outing. The 32-year-old right-hander was shelled by the Kansas City Royals on Monday, allowing four runs on seven hits over just two frames as the Rays were blanked 6-0.
GIFs via FanGraphs
h/t Deadspin
