Gurriel's cannon earns Play of the Week nod

August 24th, 2020

's cannon throw from the left-field corner to the plate in the first inning on Friday at Tropicana Field has earned the Blue Jays outfielder Play of the Week honors.

Gurriel nabbed Tampa Bay's Yandy Díaz trying to score from first on Ji-Man Choi's double down the line. Gurriel scooped up the ball in foul territory just in front of the outfield wall, then fired a throw on the fly to catcher Danny Jansen, who made an acrobatic tag on Díaz for the out.

Gurriel's throw mirrored the iconic throw made by Yoenis Céspedes on June 10, 2014, when he was with the A's. Céspedes also fired a strike from the left-field corner to the plate on the fly, throwing out the Angels' Howie Kendrick to preserve a tie game in the eighth inning at Angel Stadium.

Gurriel's throw was announced as MLB's Play of the Week on Monday on MLB Network.