Clayton Kershaw's career has been defined by his slider, which became his most valuable pitch after he initially relied on fastballs and curveballs. His slider, which he developed in 2009, has evolved over the years and remains highly effective, contributing significantly to his success and his milestone of 3,000 strikeouts. Despite a decline in velocity, his command and precision with the slider have kept it a cornerstone of his pitching arsenal.
Max Scherzer bounced back from a poor start to pitch eight strong innings, stifling the Houston Astros with his vintage slider in an 11-1 win for the New York Mets. Scherzer had not pitched into the eighth inning since joining the Mets, but he executed his slider much better, throwing 31 of them with seven swings and misses. The Astros' only run came from a homer off Scherzer's slider, but he remained confident in the pitch and anchored a much-needed win for the Mets.
Drey Jameson threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, helping the Diamondbacks to a 7-5 win over the Colorado Rockies. Pavin Smith hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run second inning. Jameson, who was sent down to Triple-A last month, rediscovered his slider and used it aggressively, throwing it on 28 of 59 pitches and eliciting whiffs on 11 of the 18 swings against it. The win was the Diamondbacks’ second in as many days and improved their record to 31-23.
