SAN DIEGO -- As the towering fly ball by the Padres' Luis Urias threatened to go over the wall in center field during Sunday's 3-1 Red Sox loss at Petco Park, Jackie Bradley Jr. sized up the flight of the baseball like he was waiting to catch his prey.
The star defender was remarkably unrushed on the play. Instead, he timed his jump perfectly and snatched the baseball with a gorgeous catch –- Bradley’s latest highlight-reel snag.
It’s unclear whether it would have been a home run or hit high off the wall. Either way, it was a great play for the first out in the bottom of the fourth inning, and it came at a big time for the Red Sox, who trailed, 3-1, and didn’t want the deficit to get any bigger.
When Bradley came back in at the end of the inning, his teammates waited for him to give him handshakes and high-fives. Reliever Ryan Brasier, the recipient of Bradley’s great play, gave the center fielder a hug.
“Just get back there and time up my leap," Bradley said. "I didn’t have to necessarily get on the wall. It’s one of those ones where the wind is blowing out a little bit, so I’d rather get up there and ask questions later.”
Bradley won his first Gold Glove Award last season, but he has been a standout defender for the Red Sox since his arrival to the Major Leagues in 2013.