Ranking the Greatest Home Run Robberies of All Time
By Brendan Balsamo
A home run robbery is one of, if not the most exciting play in baseball. It's a roller coaster of emotions entrapped into just a few seconds. You're either going from the deflation of giving up a homer to the excitement of an amazing catch, or you're going from the elation of getting a run to the feeling of defeat when the other team just outplays you. There aren't many things better in sports.
Since we truly need it right now, here are eight of the greatest home run robberies ever.
8. Austin Jackson vs. Red Sox, 2017
Watching Austin Jackson of the Cleveland Indians disappear into the Fenway Park bullpen is just as incredible to see today as it was then. Jackson's robbery of the Boston Red Sox' Hanley Ramirez was an amazing piece of the Indians' historic 2017 campaign.
7. Jackie Bradley Jr. vs. Orioles, 2019
Jackie Bradley Jr. of the Red Sox robbed the Baltimore Orioles' Trey Mancini of a walk-off in the 11th inning with an incredible catch in 2019. Bradley scaled the wall so high that his belt touched the top of the wall. That's some hops.
6. Stevie Wilkerson vs. Red Sox, 2019
Stevie Wilkerson of the Orioles returned the favor to Bradley later in the season with an even more spectacular catch. Wilkerson jumped on top of the right field wall to rob Bradley of a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, and rolled onto a shorter wall while holding on to the ball at the Fens.
5. Melky Cabrera vs. Red Sox, 2006
Melky Cabrera made himself known when the New York Yankees and Red Sox rivalry was at its peak in the mid-2000s. His robbery of Manny Ramirez's game-tying home run in the top of the eighth at Yankee Stadium in 2006 is hard to forget.
4. Torii Hunter in the 2002 All-Star Game
What might be the most fun home run robbery ever happened in the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee. The Minnesota Twins' Torii Hunter robbed prolific home run hitter and San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds of an ASG home run. The best part about it wasn't even the robbery, but Bonds' embrace of Hunter after the fact.
3. Adam Jones in the WBC, 2017
This one isn't from MLB action, but this catch from the World Baseball Classic in 2017 is one of the most iconic robberies. USA's Adam Jones' robbery of the Domincan Republic's Manny Machado was incredible, and Matt Vasgersian's call, along with the deafening crowd, made it that much better. To put the icing on the cake, Jones and Machado were teammates on the Orioles at the time. Machado's tip of the cap was all about respect to a friend.
2. Gary Matthews Jr. vs. Astros, 2006
This one might be the most athletic catch in baseball history. Gary Matthews Jr. of the Texas Rangers went over his shoulder and over the wall on an incredible leaping catch to rob Mike Lamb of the Houston Astros of a home run, dead center in Texas. It doesn't get better...or does it?!
1. Mike Trout vs. Orioles, 2012
Perhaps the most iconic on the list, Mike Trout's rob of JJ Hardy at Camden Yards is still breathtaking today. The Los Angeles Angels star didn't even grab onto the wall before he leaped high enough to take away a first-inning lead for the Orioles. This cemented Trout as an MLB icon, in many ways. It's still (unfortunately?) his most lasting moment in the game.