Joe Kelly wowed MLB fans with a stunning 99 mph sinker that seriously looked like CGI
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.