SEATTLE (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz to nab Seattle’s J.P. Crawford at the plate on Sunday, the second-hardest thrown ball to produce an outfield assist since Statcast started tracking in 2015.
The fastest throw from the outfield that produced an out in Major League Baseball’s Statcast era was 105.5 mph by Aaron Hicks of the New York Yankees in 2016.
Cruz’s throw was the fastest of any kind by a Pirates outfielder. The one-hopper to the plate came as a surprise to Crawford, who did not slide on the play.
With one out in the first, the Mariners’ Jorge Polanco lined a single to left-center. Cruz ranged to his right, fielded it and threw on a line toward catcher Henry Davis. The ball bounced directly into Davis’ mitt and he made the tag.
The 6-foot-7 Cruz was already a Statcast hero of sorts. In May, he had since Statcast started tracking, a home run at PNC Park that left the bat at 122.9 mph and splashed into the Allegheny River.
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