During today’s game, Vargas, known for his agility on the field and versatility, decided to showcase a completely new facet of his talent: pitching at an extremely slow speed.
“What is that?”
The announcers couldn’t believe this 33 MPH pitch by Ildemaro Vargas 🤣
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 25, 2024
With a pitch clocked at just 33 miles per hour, Ildemaro Vargas reminded us that sometimes, life is more about enjoying the journey than rushing to the destination.
This pitch, which looked more like a beach ball thrown in slow motion, has earned its place in the annals of baseball as one of the slowest pitches ever recorded by Statcast.
Statcast is an advanced data analysis system used in MLB to measure a wide range of game metrics, including pitch speed, player movements, and more.
Thanks to this technology, we can savor precise data from every memorable moment on the field, such as Vargas’ pitch.
It’s not uncommon for teams to turn to position players to pitch when the game is decided. These moments offer a comedic respite amid fierce competition and give fans something memorable to enjoy.
However, the speed of Ildemaro Vargas’ pitch takes this practice to a new level of entertainment.
Other Slow Pitches According to Statcast
To put the art of slow pitching into perspective, here are some of the slowest pitches recorded in recent MLB history, courtesy of Statcast:
- Brock Holt: In 2021, Holt threw a curveball at 31 miles per hour, making the audience wonder if the ball had been swapped for a rubber one.
- Willians Astudillo: Known for his versatility, Astudillo pitched a ball at 41 miles per hour, still considered slow but much faster than Vargas’ pitch.
- Zack Greinke: Although a professional pitcher, Greinke has thrown slow balls for fun, with speeds around 50 miles per hour.
There’s something magically amusing about watching a pitch so slow that you can count it in seconds rather than milliseconds. Vargas’ 33-mile-per-hour pitch is a reminder that baseball isn’t always about speed and power; sometimes, it’s about the sheer joy of the game.
