Denzel Clarke didn’t just rob a home run on Monday. He nearly scaled the outfield wall at Angel Stadium to do so.
Clarke, in the first inning of the Athletics’ 7-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, started tracking what should’ve been an easy solo home run from Nolan Schanuel deep in center field. But as Clarke reached the wall, he climbed up it and nearly launched himself all the way over it while somehow robbing Schanuel’s homer.
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Schanuel, and just about everyone else on the field, was left completely stunned.
The play came just days after Clarke made another ridiculous grab in the outfield. On Friday in Sacramento, Clark launched his body into the outfield wall while making a catch at Sutter Health Park.
That one, though, looked much more painful. Thankfully, Clarke was fine after he collected himself.
Monday’s game was just the 16th of Clarke’s career with the Athletics, who called him up from their Triple-A affiliate earlier this season. The 25-year-old entered the contest with a .224 batting average with one home run and three RBI. The As chose him in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Cal State Northridge.
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Despite his early heroics, the Angels still cruised to the win without any issue. They put up three runs in the third inning with a trio of RBI singles, and then Jo Adell hit a solo homer in the fourth to add to their lead. The Athletics finally got on the board in the eighth when JJ Bleday hit a two-run shot of his own, but it came too late. The Angels added three more runs in the eighth for good measure, and held on after a two-run homer from Max Muncy in the ninth, to seal the three-run win. The loss dropped the A’s to 26-42 on the season.
While he’s just a handful of games into his MLB career, Clarke already has two bids for Catch of the Year under his belt. That’s one incredible way to kick things off.
