Statcast: Fuld takes flight for acrobatic catch
"Super" Sam Fuld took flight again Friday night, laying out to rob rookie Carlos Correa of an extra-base hit in the A's 4-3 win over the Astros.
Fuld is well known for making impressive, acrobatic catches in the outfield -- often with no regard for his own body -- and his Friday stunt was no different. Thanks to Statcast™'s tracking technology, we can quantify just how spectacular Fuld's third-inning diving play really was.
But Fuld's grab wasn't the only highlight of the night. Later that inning, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve showed off some speed of his own. Royals speedster Terrance Gore and Nationals rookie Trea Turner flashed their wheels, outfielder Bryce Harper proved his bat is only one part of his game, and the Mets came through with a pair of key home runs.
Here's an in-depth look at each of those plays, courtesy of Statcast™.
Super Sam does it again
With two on and one out at Minute Maid Park, Correa ripped a 106.3-mph line drive toward right-center field off Felix Doubront, certainly a double and perhaps even a triple. But Fuld had other plans.
The speedy center fielder made his first step in 0.1 seconds, reached a top speed of 18.1 mph with a route efficiency of 96.8 percent, then left his feet, flinging his body toward Correa's drive and reeling it in for the first out of the third inning.
Altuve's mad dash
Altuve advanced to third base on Fuld's grab, bringing up Jed Lowrie with one out. Lowrie lofted a fly ball into foul ground, allowing right fielder Josh Reddick to settle under it as Altuve prepared to tag up.
Video: OAK@HOU: Altuve dashes over 22 mph to beat the throw
Altuve got home in a hurry, reaching a top speed of 22.4 mph -- his fifth-fastest time of the season -- as he hustled toward the plate and slid home safely to give Houston a 3-0 lead.
Gore swipes second on McCann
When Gore entered as a pinch-runner in the 12th inning of the Royals' 5-4 loss to the Tigers, everyone at Comerica Park knew he was in the game to run. That didn't make it any easier to slow him down. Gore swiped second base against Tigers catcher James McCann, reaching 22.43 mph as he ran -- his fastest recorded speed of the season.
Video: KC@DET: Gore cranks it up to 22 mph to steal second
Gore stole his third base of the year despite an 84.05 mph throw from McCann, his hardest throw to second all season, and an elite 1.77-second "pop time" -- the time that elapsed between McCann receiving the ball and his throw to second base.
This is the same catcher who gunned down Reds speedster Billy Hamilton earlier this season. How do the plays compare? According to Statcast™, Gore had a bigger secondary lead (19.6 feet to Hamilton's 18.5 feet), but he also overcame a stronger throw (84.05 mph compared to the 80.8 mph throw that got out Hamilton).
Turner burns around the bases
Speaking of speed, how about Turner? The Nationals rookie infielder used his legs to produce a run in the eighth inning of Washington's 5-4 win over Miami. Turner reached a top speed of 22.1 mph while sprinting from second to third base on a wild pitch -- he maxed out at 21.7 mph while scoring on a sacrifice fly.
Video: MIA@WSH: Turner dials it up to 22 mph to take third
Harper fires the cannon
With a runner on first and two outs in the sixth, Marlins outfielder Derek Dietrich tried to stretch a single to center into a double, but Harper wouldn't allow it.
Video: MIA@WSH: Harper displays strong arm on 158-foot throw
Harper quickly cut off Dietrich's hit, taking his first step in 0.12 seconds, and got to the ball at a top speed of 17.8 mph. He then unleashed a perfect throw, tracked at 157.98 feet at 73.46 mph, to cut down Dietrich at second.
Duda, Murphy go deep
The Mets powered past the Yankees with a 5-1 win in the first game of the September Subway Series, thanks in part to a pair of home runs. First baseman Lucas Duda went deep, crushing an 89.3-mph pitch from Masahiro Tanaka -- the homer flew 421.2 feet to right field. Duda's blast came off his bat at 106.6 mph, according to Statcast™.
Daniel Murphy added another solo homer in the sixth inning, turning on Tanaka's 85.9 mph pitch, and crushing it at an exit velocity of 104.7 mph. The ball traveled 417.3 feet out to right-center field.