Despite having just 15 games under his belt in his inaugural MLB season, Denzel Clarke isn’t playing like a rookie. The Athletics’ center fielder has shown veteran instincts, consistently making high-risk, high-reward plays, exemplified by his recent top-notch catch against the Angels.
Regarding that spectacular grab, which is becoming a hallmark of his young career, Clarke didn’t mince words, stating, “I’m always very tentative to say this was the best one. But I think this is probably the best one I’ve ever made.“
This isn’t the first time Clarke has made a jaw-dropping play. Remarkably, this is the second time in just three days he’s pulled off a highlight-reel catch, solidifying his spot at the top of the week’s top plays.
Clarke’s Record-Setting Catch
While the Athletics fell 7-4 to the Angels, Clarke certainly made a truly exceptional catch with Athletics, securing a new record in the “Plays of the Week” category.
As Sarah Langs reported on X, “Denzel Clarke has won Electric Play of the Week each of the last 2 weeks. He is the second player since the award’s inception in 2019 to win back-to-back weeks, joining Riley Greene (9/19 & 9/26 in 2022).”
Dallas Braden on the Denzel Clarke’s top play of the week. “I’ve seen the list of the greatest catches you’re ever going to see in your life. If you don’t have room for this one, we’re watching two different sports.”
The other top catch
Despite the A’s struggling with over 40 losses, Clarke had already delivered another highlight-reel catch on June 6 in a win against the Orioles. While he didn’t scale the wall that time, he crashed into it after an amazing sprint, holding onto the ball.