The White Sox’s 2023 season has been a major disappointment thus far, but if there was one bright spot, it’s that pitcher Joe Kelly has absolutely exceeded expectations in the bullpen.
The 12-year vet is enjoying a career-best start and is striking out nearly 13 batters per nine innings this season. After his appearance on Wednesday night against the Cleveland Guardians, it was easy to see why.
Kelly is throwing pitches that don’t even look real.
Facing Tyler Freeman in the eighth inning, Kelly struck out the Guardians shortstop with one of the nastier pitches we’ll see this season. According to Statcast, the 99 mph sinker ran 22 inches horizontally to the right-handed batter’s box.
Joe Kelly, Sick 99mph Two Seamer with 22 inches of Run 😯 pic.twitter.com/ignS7IBQWI
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 18, 2023
That’s just silly. Like, how does a pitch move like that?
You can’t really blame Freeman for looking outmatched in that at-bat either because no hitter is touching that pitch.
MLB fans were understandably in awe with the sinker.
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This was how Twitter reacted
Filthiest pitch I've seen in a long time. If the hitter makes contact, it saws his handle off. Impossible to hit. https://t.co/OaMiAteAtB
— The Robfather (@robr0013) May 18, 2023
have fun hitting that https://t.co/vqZautqQPu
— Chi-Guy Eric (@ChiTownEnuff) May 18, 2023
Yeah this is mesmerizing. https://t.co/qoWja5COMo
— Eric Folkerth (@ericfolkerth) May 18, 2023
I think can rest my case with this pitch. Baseball is the hardest sport. With 2 strikes, you have to swing at this, because its coming over the plate. And its 99 mph, so you have milliseconds to make a decision. And then, at the last second, it comes AT YOU. Impossible. https://t.co/UhsvMUpWJj
— Terry Brock (@brockter) May 18, 2023
Joe Kelly in his last 7.1 innings:
0 runs, 1 hit (a weak chopper in the infield), 0 walks, 12 K's, THIS pitch. https://t.co/4rVVUt8Tfb— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) May 18, 2023
Legit don't know how even MLBers can hit against MLB pitching https://t.co/NrED18ox40
— Empty Seats Galore (@EmptySeatsPics) May 18, 2023
Awwwwww did you swing and miss??? https://t.co/jW4u15nQB5 pic.twitter.com/nNRwNwJlRO
— Spring Josh (@josh7etuba) May 18, 2023
What in the https://t.co/lSvkzYTUqX
— Paola Trujillo (@iampeatrujillo) May 18, 2023
Totally unhittable https://t.co/365xvtBDWR
— Ed Reese (@edreese) May 18, 2023
Kelly went on to pitch a scoreless eighth inning, which wasn’t surprising at all after that pitch.
