WATCH: Riley Greene robs a homer off Ezequiel Tovar with incredible leaping catch to help Tarik Skubal
Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene helped his teammate Tarik Skubal with an incredible leaping catch on the wall to rob a potential home run for Colorado Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar when the two teams met at Comerica Park on Thursday afternoon. Skubal logged in another quality start thanks to the catch from Greene, which allowed the Tigers to keep their one-run lead over the Rockies.
A video clip of the catch was uploaded by MLB on their official profile on X.
On Thursday, the Tigers hosted the Rockies for the final clash of their three-game series. The visitors had taken a one-run lead in the game during the third inning before the home team moved into a 2-1 advantage by the end of the fourth.
Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar came to the plate in the top of the fifth inning with two outs and a runner on first base. Tarik Skubal was on the mound for the Tigers and had given up just four hits in the game at that point. On a 3-2 count, Skubal threw a 92-mph slider on the lower inside corner of the strike zone. Tovar put a good swing on it to pull the ball high and deep towards the left field fence.
The Tigers left fielder Riley Greene was positioned somewhat centrally and had to move about 20 yards to his right to reach the ball. Greene managed to get a good read on the flyball and was able to get into position before timing his jump perfectly to grab the ball just as it was leaving the yard.
Greene made a very difficult play seem nearly effortless, and his outstanding piece of glovework ended the inning and preserved the lead. Meanwhile, Tarik Skubal raised his hand to show his appreciation for the catch and punched his glove with a scream to celebrate the outcome of the play.
Riley Greene enjoying breakout campaign
Despite the Detroit Tigers' struggles, the 2024 season has been excellent for Riley Greene on a personal level. He was rewarded with his maiden All-Star Game appearance after making his debut two years ago. Greene enjoyed a solid campaign with the bat in 2023, but he has also added some power to his game this year.
Riley Greene leads the Tigers lineup in nearly every batting category this season. He has a .265/.356/.486 slashline with .842 OPS. He has recorded 25 doubles, six triples, 21 home runs, and 66 RBIs. Greene could also be a contender for Gold Glove at the end of the season, and he has 11 defensive runs saved to his name at left field.