MLB Fans Loved White Sox Pitcher’s Big Smile Before Beautiful Strikeout

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Being a hitter in Major League Baseball is a very difficult thing to be these days—there are just so many pitchers throwing really nasty stuff and sometimes at some very high speeds, too.
Imagine standing in the batter’s box, though, and looking out at the pitcher only to see him grinning like he knows exactly what’s about to happen. That just wouldn’t seem fair or fun.
That’s exactly what happened in Sunday’s White Sox-A’s game when Chicago’s Touki Toussaint flashed a huge smile before throwing an absolutely filthy 77-mph curveball to strike out Oakland’s Shea Langeliers in the second inning.
Check this out:
Touki "The Smiling Assassin" Toussaint, Beautiful 77mph Curveball. 😍🔑🗝️
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 2, 2023
Ninja Fact: Never Trust a Pitcher who Smiles at You. pic.twitter.com/syWJXVN9Lv
MLB fans loved it:
This is terrifying. https://t.co/1ln8XAP7PV
— chuwie (@chuwie) July 3, 2023
That is some psychotic stuff here https://t.co/Krf97yQni6
— Some Guy Named Dan (Insert Blue Checkmark) (@TheDanMato) July 3, 2023
Touki curveballs will always mesmerize me https://t.co/VuhvRB1hZC
— Ja🔴 (@JaReD_12_) July 3, 2023
Whew! https://t.co/JPFSdJNy1V
— Darth Deadass (@sylphanne) July 2, 2023
I’m so happy for Touki he seems like such a great guy and I loved him in Atlanta https://t.co/mE5G0icIy9
— Dustin McCue (@scenickarma) July 3, 2023
I will always root for Touki. https://t.co/0tyQmU2J8M
— Chris Thinks You’re Stupid (@iamchrismays) July 2, 2023
I have always and will always root for Touki. If he found his way back to Atlanta and had some success I would be thrilled. https://t.co/HWOgtpsPMi
— jota te (@downtownjtbrown) July 3, 2023
I want nothing but the best for this man https://t.co/0pyzjuYNvI
— Atlantaholic_ (@Atlantaholic_) July 2, 2023

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.
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