Watch: Potential MLB catch of the year so good, opponents can't help but applaud
The Toronto Blue Jays’ season may not be going as well as the team would like, but that certainly isn’t from a lack of effort from their center fielder, Kevin Pillar.
The Jays fell to the equally listless Detroit Tigers 9-1 on Sunday, but Pillar stole the show (and a home run) with an unbelievable catch.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME, KEVIN PILLAR?!
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 1, 2018
The Tigers’ Nick Castellanos likely thought he had his second homer of the game until Pillar turned into Spider-Man on the outfield wall.
Pillar somehow converted the 10-foot high outfield wall into a step ladder to leap up and make the grab. While most players would have been jumping up and down in excitement afterward, Pillar was still aware of the situation and quickly got the ball back into the infield to keep the runner on second from tagging up.
One person who did express excitement and approval of the great catch was none other than the person who was robbed of the home run, Castellanos.
The Tigers’ outfielder knows how difficult a play that was and he stopped to give Pillar applause for what could be MLB’s catch of the year.
Nicholas Castellanos on clapping for Kevin Pillar's HR-stealing catch: "It's all part of it. What else can you say at the end of the day, besides what a play.
"Sucks it had to happen to me. But plays like that have to happen to somebody." @Tigers #Tigers @BlueJays— George Sipple ☕️ (@GeorgeSipple) July 1, 2018
After the game Pillar talked about if he thought he could catch the ball as soon as it was hit and what goes into making a great play like that.
“A lot of stuff like that just comes down to pure instinct. If I’m trying to get over something that I physically can’t get over, you’ve got to find a way to do it.”
This catch may thrust Pillar into the national spotlight, but Blue Jays fans are used to seeing plays like this.
Cam Newton and Dwight Howard may be the Superman of their respective sports, but Pillar has rightfully earned the baseball version of that nickname.
https://twitter.com/SInow/status/902339355481706496
https://twitter.com/VeganYogaDude/status/650165410445328384
Despite these amazing catches and the fact that Pillar leads all center fielders in defensive runs saved since 2015, the man has yet to win a Gold Glove award.
Perhaps his latest great catch, and public support from Castellanos, will allow Pillar to finally break through and win some hardware.
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