Watch Koda Glover close out a Nats win with a ridiculous 96-mph slider
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The average Major League four-seam fastball is 93 mph. Facing the Padres on Friday night in the Nats' 5-1 win, reliever Koda Glover uncorked a slider that was much faster than that.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, Hunter Renfroe stepped to the plate representing the tying run. Only problem: Glover hurled his absurd, Steve Nebraska-in-"The Scout"-style 96-mph slider to get the Padres outfielder to strike out and end the game.
A 96-mph fastball is already considered elite for a pitcher, so how does a hitter have any chance to make contact when the pitch is that fast, while also twisting and ducking more than a dancer at a rave?
Perhaps most terrifying for batters: Glover has just 14 1/3 innings to his name this year and already has the three fastest sliders on the books.