Mariners’ Refnsyder Denies Rangers’ Home Run with Stunning Catch

Rob Refsnyder turned a quiet start to his Mariners tenure into a highlight moment on Wednesday. He robbed the Texas Rangers of a home run with a leaping grab in right field.

The play

Bryan Woo served a first-pitch fastball to Texas second baseman Josh Smith. Smith drilled the pitch deep into the right-field corner to lead off the third inning. Refsnyder tracked the ball, leapt at the wall and made a collision catch to keep the game scoreless.

Player usage and season context

The Mariners acquired Refsnyder largely for his bat. Before Wednesday, he had appeared six times for Seattle and logged only two innings in the field. That limited defense came Monday night after he pinch-hit for Luke Raley in the seventh of a 2-1 loss.

The 35-year-old entered the game without a hit as a Mariner, 0-for-13 at the plate. His dramatic defensive play provided the first major contribution to the team so far.

Broader MLB context

Seattle was on the favorable side of a home-run robbery this week. A contrasting moment came Saturday, when Angels outfielder Jo Adell robbed the Mariners of three homers in Los Angeles. The Angels won 1-0, a performance believed to set a single-game MLB mark for most homers robbed by one player.

Media and coverage

The Mariners-Rangers radio broadcast aired on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Seattle Sports app. For further Seattle Mariners coverage, visit Filmogaz.com.

Refsnyder denied the Rangers a home run with a stunning catch that energized the Seattle defense.