Statcast: Marisnick shows off speed for score
Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick showed off his fortitude as much as his speed while scoring from third base on a grounder to first Monday night. While we may never be able to measure the former, Statcast™ can help quantify Marisnick's quick dash home.
Marisnick's rush to the plate, and his slick slide home, headline Monday's highlights. The night also saw a pair of mammoth homers from two powerful hitters, plus a laser throw and a smooth running grab in center field.
Here's an in-depth look at each of those plays, courtesy of Statcast™.
Marisnick hustles home
With the score tied and one out in the fifth inning, George Springer hit a hard grounder (at 86.3 mph) toward Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland. Marisnick, with a secondary lead of 12.58 feet, took off for home, accelerating in 3.3 seconds, and racing home in 3.9 seconds.
Marisnick reached a top speed of 20.1 mph during his mad dash, sliding home safely to score the go-ahead run, despite a strong 82.3 mph throw from Moreland.
Among players with at least 200 running speed readings this season, as tracked by Statcast™, Marisnick has the second-highest average speed at 17.3 mph. The Astros fell to the Rangers, 5-3.
Cespedes finds the second deck
It's hardly a surprise to see Yoenis Cespedes hitting home runs for the Mets these days, but his raw power is still occasionally jaw-dropping. That was on display in the third inning Monday night at Citi Field, when he crushed a solo shot 442 feet with an exit velocity of 109.1 mph.
Video: MIA@NYM: Cespedes crushes solo homer 442 feet
The moonshot hung in the air for a projected 6.1 seconds before landing in the second deck of the left-field stands. The Mets beat Miami, 4-3.
Abreu crushes one
White Sox slugger Jose Abreu briefly gave his team a 2-1 lead in the third inning of their extra-innings marathon contest with the A's. Abreu reached out and swatted an 87-mph slider from Sonny Gray with an exit velocity of 103.3 mph.
Video: OAK@CWS: Abreu crushes home run at 103.3 MPH
The ball kept sailing out to left-center field, eventually landing a projected 443 feet away to give Abreu his 28th homer. The White Sox beat the A's, 8-7.
Hamilton shows off center field speed
Cincinnati's Billy Hamilton is known for his speed on the basepaths, but he showed off his wheels in center field in the first inning Monday night at AT&T Park, ranging back to rob San Francisco's Brandon Belt of a potential extra-base hit.
Video: CIN@SF: Hamilton covers 72.4 feet on great catch
The ball left Belt's bat at 101.2 mph and traveled 384.5 feet to center field. Hamilton made a quick first step and covered 73.4 feet with a route efficiency of 98.7 percent, reaching a top speed of 18.1 mph before reaching up to reel in the ball. The Reds lost to the Giants, 5-3.
Yelich's throw on the money
With nobody out in the bottom of the third inning at Citi Field, just before Cespedes' homer, David Wright lofted a fly ball to center field off Marlins lefty Justin Nicolino. Christian Yelich easily settled under the ball and caught it, but Juan Lagares took off from first to tag up, reaching a top speed of 19.6 mph.
Video: MIA@NYM: Yelich nabs Lagares with 72.5 MPH throw
Yelich had other plans, uncorking a 72.5-mph throw that traveled 208 feet in the air before shortstop Miguel Rojas grabbed it and tagged out the sliding Lagares to complete the double play. Miami lost the contest.