Hitting the century mark: Best 100 plays of '17
The 2017 season was filled with incredible plays on the diamond, including jaw-dropping defensive gems and history-making offensive feats. MLB Network counted down the best 100 plays from last season, and as the year draws to a close, we break them down here, from Nos. 100 to 1:Nos. 100-90Chase Utley
The 2017 season was filled with incredible plays on the diamond, including jaw-dropping defensive gems and history-making offensive feats. MLB Network counted down the best 100 plays from last season, and as the year draws to a close, we break them down here, from Nos. 100 to 1:
Nos. 100-90
Nos. 89-80
Here you'll see Indians shortstop
Nos. 79-70
Here we have a pair of triple plays, each started by a rookie. Also in this group, two-time Gold Glove Award winner
Nos. 69-58
Thought there were only two 5-4-3 triple plays in 2017? Think again. How about two more? Plus, a cat sprinting across the outfield and precipitating a Cardinals rally.
Nos. 57-50
What does a Statcast™-projected 104 mph throw to nail a runner at the plate look like? How about a 6-foot-7, 280-pound right fielder making a tremendous diving catch to take away extra bases? The Brewers'
Nos. 49-40
Below you'll see Nationals third baseman
Nos. 39-29
A pair of the game's brightest young stars appear in this group of plays of the year, with Manny Machado capping a three-homer game with a walk-off grand slam and
Nos. 28-21
Here you'll see history being made as
Nos. 20-15
In this group of outstanding plays, you'll see the first Reds player to hit four homers in a game:
Nos. 14-10
In this group of outstanding plays, you'll see
No. 9: J.D. Martinez hits four home runs vs. Dodgers, Sept. 4
The D-backs' acquisition of Martinez this past July was one of the best in recent memory, as the slugger belted 29 home runs in 62 games to help push Arizona into the postseason for the first time since 2011. On Labor Day, he had his signature game of the season, hitting four home runs in four consecutive plate appearances off four different pitchers at Dodger Stadium. He became the first D-backs player, and 18th player in MLB history, to hit four homers in a game. The performance also helped the D-backs extend their winning streak to 13 games.
No. 8:
Hamilton had to go 106 feet straight back to the center-field wall, per Statcast™, on
No. 7:
Pujols became the ninth player to hit 600 home runs and first to do it with a grand slam, connecting against Twins starter
No. 6: Arenado dives, spins, throws out Giants' Blach from seated position, June 28
We've become accustomed to Arenado's glittering glovework at third base over the years, but this was perhaps the five-time NL Gold Glove Award winner's finest play in 2017. On a ground ball wide of third, Arenado made a full-extension dive to his left, knocked the ball down, grabbed it with his bare hand as it trickled away and spun and threw from a seated position to get the out at first.
No. 5: Judge hits his 50th homer of 2017, breaking single-season rookie mark, Sept. 25
The AL Rookie of the Year put on a power display unlike any by a rookie in MLB history. He hit his 49th and 50th homers of the season at Yankee Stadium against the Royals, belting the first of the day to right field and the second to left-center. The 50th homer eclipsed Mark McGwire's rookie record set in 1987 and was a mammoth shot off right-hander
Judge became the fifth player in franchise history to hit 50 home runs in a season, joining Babe Ruth (four times), Mickey Mantle (twice), Roger Maris and Alex Rodriguez.
No. 4:
When Judge hit a deep drive in the eighth inning at Fenway, it looked as though he'd be rounding the bases with his 31st homer of the season. But Bradley raced back toward the triangular area in right-center field, measured the flight of the ball as it headed toward the seats, leaped with his left side against the fence and brought it back for the out.
No. 3:
Pillar has been nicknamed "Superman" thanks to his history of making tremendous catches, particularly ones that make it seem as though he's flying through the air like a superhero. Ramirez became the latest to be robbed by a Pillar "Superman" grab at Rogers Centre, when the center fielder raced back toward the wall and dove full-extension onto the warning track to haul in a ball that seemed destined to result in extra bases.
No. 2: Chris Coghlan does somersault over
Coghlan was on first base with one out in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium, when Pillar drove a ball off the right-field wall, sending Coghlan sprinting for the plate. The relay home beat Coghlan, but he improvised a way to get around -- well, actually over the tag. He jumped over the top of Molina and did a mid-air flip to score and put Toronto ahead, 2-1.
No. 1:
With the Indians leading, 7-5, in the fifth inning, Ramirez drove a ball nearly to the same spot as Judge did when he was robbed by Bradley (Play No. 4). Playing center field, Jackson raced 101 feet into deep right-center, and without time to brace for impact, he leaped for the ball, caught it and flipped over the short fence, landing in the Red Sox bullpen.
The play was reminiscent of a David Ortiz home run in Game 2 of the 2013 American League Championship Series, when Torii Hunter -- then a teammate of Jackson's with the Tigers -- flipped over the wall, but couldn't make the catch, resulting in a game-tying grand slam. In this case, all Ramirez could do upon seeing Jackson's incredible grab was say, "Whoa."
Manny Randhawa is a reporter for MLB.com based in Denver. Follow him on Twitter at @MannyOnMLB.