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7 times MLB players looked like Olympic gymnasts

MLB.com

While Simone Biles and the women's U.S. Olympic gymnastic team continued to stockpile medals in Rio, Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo did a little balance-beam work of his own Tuesday night with one of the most impressive catches of the season.

Rizzo's phenomenal play wasn't the first time a major leaguer has looked the part of a gymnast, either.

Here are seven other times you may have mistaken a ball player for a tumbling acrobat, and the events their feats are best suited for.

Floor Exercise - Josh Harrison

The agile Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman may not have pulled off any cartwheels or a double twisting double back, but he did perform some incredible tumbling, accompanied by some swift footwork, to almost get out of a rundown against the San Diego Padres earlier in July.

Balance Beam - Anthony Rizzo

Rizzo is making a name for himself with his balancing acts. Not only did he make an exceptional play Tuesday due to his steadiness, he managed a similar grab in 2015 with the aid of the tarp at Wrigley Field.

Vault - Kevin Kiermaier, Josh Donaldson

Whether it was Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier leaping up and over the wall in center field to pull back a Manny Machado home run or Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson flying into the crowd to preserve Marco Estrada's perfect-game bid, both players looked like they used a vault to give them the spring to perform their outstanding plays.

Pommel Horse - Russell Martin

It's been nearly a decade since Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin won a Gold Glove, but that doesn't mean he isn't capable of wowing fans with incredible defense. In this case, he maneuvered around the dugout railings like he was spinning around a pommel horse.

Individual All-Around - Byron Buxton

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton may be playing ball in the minors after struggling to hit big-league pitching, but on July 30 against the Chicago White Sox, he lived up to his top-prospect hype with blazing speed and an acrobatic dive at the plate.

Team All-Around - Chicago White Sox

There may not have been any flipping, spinning, or tumbling involved, but the White Sox, like the U.S. gymnastics team, proved a quality team effort can go a long way when they pulled off their third triple play of the season in July.

(Videos courtesy: MLB.com)

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