Noah Syndergaard’s 91 mph slider was filthy against the Nationals

Noah Syndergaard dominated Nationals hitters with his hard slider last night. Syndergaard generated eight swinging strikes with the pitch, tied for the second-most he’s recorded in a start all season. It was good for an incredible 30.8% swinging strike rate, which is almost double the major league average slider swinging strike rate of 15.9%.

Syndergaard’s ability to get Nationals hitters to swing and miss at his slider was especially impressive given the Nationals’ team-wide lack of swing-and-miss. Before last night’s game, the Nationals had the fourth-lowest swinging strike rate in baseball at 9.0%, and it came with a 13.8% swinging strike rate on sliders, which is one of the five lowest rates in baseball.

Syndergaard also got six called strikes with his slider, including this ridiculous 94 mph front door slider that is painted on the inside corner and knocks Jayson Werth’s hips off the plate.

It was the hardest slider Syndergaard threw in the game and the hardest he’s thrown since late June.

Syndergaard’s 53.8% swinging strike + called strike rate with his slider from last night is well above the major league average of 30.9%. The pitch was deceptive, electric and commanded especially well for most of the outing.

Syndergaard also recorded five of his ten strikeouts using his slider. Here’s a look at a few more of them from last night. He buried this one back foot against Danny Espinosa to record his 200th strikeout of the season, becoming the second fastest Met to reach 200 strikeouts in a season, behind only Doc Gooden.

This 91 mph slider that strikes out Bryce Harper appears to be a strike before dropping out of the zone.