The Death Ball: How Jordan Montgomery’s Curveball Stymied Yordan Álvarez and Impressed the Baseball World

In the American League Championship Series Game 1, Jordan Montgomery, a pitcher for the Texas Rangers, showcased his exceptional curveball against one of the best hitters in the world, Yordan Álvarez of the Houston Astros. Montgomery’s curveball, nicknamed “The Death Ball,” proved to be unstoppable as Álvarez struck out three times in the game. Montgomery’s impressive performance silenced the once-raucous crowd at Minute Maid Park, stealing home-field advantage from the Astros.

What makes Montgomery’s curveball so special is not its appearance or spin rate alone but how he delivers it. According to Álvarez, when Montgomery releases the ball, it looks like a fastball, making it challenging to pick up. Montgomery and his coaches at Tread Athletics, a performance lab where he fine-tuned his pitching craft, focused not only on the shape of his pitches but also on how his delivery presents them. This attention to detail creates a deceptive effect that confuses batters and leads to swings and misses.

Montgomery’s curveball pairs well with his sinker and four-seam fastball, making it even more potent. The combination of pitches, along with his strategic placement inside and outside the strike zone, prevents hitters like Álvarez from getting comfortable at the plate. Montgomery understands that to defeat Álvarez, he needs to utilize all of his pitching tricks, and his curveball plays a crucial role in achieving this.

The effectiveness of Montgomery’s curveball stems from his height and release point. His vertical release point on the curveball is 80.2 inches from the ground, the second-highest in baseball for a curveball pitcher, only behind his opponent in Game 1, Justin Verlander. The release points on his sinker and four-seam fastball are also near this figure. The consistent release points, combined with the tunneling effect, mislead hitters into thinking they are seeing one pitch when it is actually something else. Álvarez fell victim to this deception, whiffing on five of the 17 pitches he saw.

Montgomery’s journey to mastering the curveball began in his childhood. Growing up in South Carolina, Montgomery’s father, Jim, helped him develop the pitch by wrapping duct tape around Coke cans, adding extra weight to them, and practicing spinning them into a nearby garbage can. This dedication paid off, as Montgomery continued to refine the pitch throughout his baseball career, eventually making it to the major leagues.

The Rangers acquired Montgomery during the trade deadline, hoping he would be a strong addition to their rotation for crucial games like Game 1 of the ALCS. With Max Scherzer and Nathan Eovaldi both sidelined due to injuries, Montgomery stepped up and delivered one of the best starts of his career. His precise execution and willingness to attack hitters rather than nibbling at the corners made him a formidable force on the mound.

Montgomery’s impressive performance against Álvarez in Game 1 not only benefited the Rangers but also held personal significance. It coincided with his wife’s birthday on Saturday and his father’s birthday on Sunday. Jim, who had been longing for a playoff win as the perfect gift, got his wish with Montgomery’s stellar outing against a future Hall of Famer.

Moving forward, Montgomery will likely start another game in the series, potentially facing off against Verlander once again. He will continue to rely on the meticulous pregame routine and drills he learned at Tread Athletics to maintain consistency in his delivery. With the guidance of his coach, Tyler Zombro, and the collaboration with his catcher, Jonah Heim, and pitching coach, Mike Maddux, Montgomery aims to replicate his postseason success and spin his way through the World Series.