Parker Meadows got up on Wednesday night.
The Tigers centerfielder pulled off what could easily go down as the catch of the year at T-Mobile Park and put Detroit in position to grab the win in the process.
In the bottom of the eighth inning in their 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners, Meadows robbed what should have been a home run from Cal Raleigh to deep center. The shot would have put the Mariners in the lead, too, as Randy Arozarena hit a double to right just before him and was standing on second base.
Yet somehow, Meadows tracked down the ball and expertly made the grab while bending over backwards against the wall to end the inning right there. Just watch:
A new catch of the year candidate has emerged Parker Meadows protects the lead for the @Tigers with this insane grab! pic.twitter.com/iRGhoPN3re
MLB (@MLB) August 8, 2024
Still not over this catch! pic.twitter.com/XsgSbejoka
MLB (@MLB) August 8, 2024
Yes, this baseball was caught pic.twitter.com/nO7AdAjzHj
MLB (@MLB) August 8, 2024
The Tigers took full advantage of the momentum swing, too. They put up three runs in the top of the ninth after Matt Vierling hit an RBI single and then Gio Urshela hit two more in with a single to left. That pushed Detroit to the four-run win.
Meadows is in his second season with the Tigers this summer. He holds a .161 batting average with eight RBI and four home runs in just 37 games with the team.
The Tigers now hold a 55-60 record after Wednesdays win, which marked their second straight over the Mariners. Theyre still solidly in fourth in the AL Central standings, 12.5 games out of first in the division, and 8.5 games out of the final wild card spot. The Mariners, at 59-56 on the season, trail the Houston Astros by just half of a game in the AL West race. Seattle, which has lost three straight, will wrap up its three game series with the Tigers on Thursday.