Perhaps no organization in Major League Baseball is better at developing young pitchers than the Tampa Bay Rays. One of the newest examples: Rookie right-hander Kevin Kelly, who showed off a filthy sweeping breaking ball during Tuesday’s win over the Angels.
Kelly came from obscurity as a Rule 5 draft choice last December, but has become a key cog in the Rays' bullpen. Tuesday may have been the day he becomes a household name among baseball fans though, as he snapped off a pitch with a ridiculous 21 inches of horizontal break to strike out Brett Phillips in the seventh inning.
Here’s a look at the brain-bending pitch:
Kevin Kelly, Perfect 77mph Back Door Sweeper. ☑️
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 20, 2023
21 inches of horizontal break. pic.twitter.com/FwN0lS1hLg
Perfection.
The seemingly unhittable pitch may or may not have caught the zone, but a pitch that good deserved the punchout call it received. Fans were certainly wowed by the pitch:
That pitch shouldn’t be legal oh my god https://t.co/H8SXUZkWxD
— Seth Jensen (@sj24_slappy) September 20, 2023
Wow that’s filthy. https://t.co/uiTVaISHJ1
— Bob Josephson (@WhoDey2323) September 20, 2023
I’m sorry…what?! 🪄 https://t.co/PyeutgNMQL
— Matt Simon (@MattSimon_) September 20, 2023
What even is hitter supposed to do here https://t.co/SX8mLhsoH9
— Zach Daab (@RealZachDaab) September 20, 2023
He started this right at the J in Jersey Mike's. 😮 https://t.co/gLtCFB5c7X
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) September 20, 2023
Fun Fact: I can do this with a whiffle ball and the proper wind assistance https://t.co/HjYUlK31de
— Coach Fletch (@CoachFletch25) September 20, 2023
Sorcery https://t.co/vqsiw4827v
— Michael A. Higgins (@MikeHiggz10) September 20, 2023
