The top plays from the 2015 MLB season
The 2015 baseball season produced some of the best highlights in recent memory, and with 2016 on the horizon, it's the perfect time to reflect on some of the unforgettable moments from last season.
Here are the top plays from 2015:
Bautista's bat flip
Game 5 of the American League Division Series will go down as one of the most memorable in Toronto Blue Jays history. With the score tied 3-3 in the seventh inning, Jose Bautista launched a three-run homer off Texas Rangers reliever Sam Dyson, and celebrated the occasion with a bat flip for the ages.
Gordon's leap of faith
Alex Gordon is a regular on highlight reels year in and year out, but his miraculous catch against the Chicago White Sox in early April took his reputation as a top defender to a whole new level. The four-time Gold Glover launched himself deep into a hostile crowd in Chicago to snare a liner down the left-field line, hilariously taking out a White Sox fan in the process.
Donaldson's MVP dive
Josh Donaldson wasn't on anyone's radar as a candidate for the AL MVP, until he made one of the defensive plays of the year in June against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Blue Jays third baseman tracked a pop fly down the left-field line, and then fearlessly launched himself into the second row of fans at Tropicana Field to put himself on the MVP radar.
Rizzo masters tarp
Anthony Rizzo played a huge part in the Chicago Cubs' march to the National League Championship Series, and established himself as one of the leaders of the club in August, when he jumped on top of a rolled-up tarp at Wrigley Field and fell gracefully into the crowd to snag a pop up.
Trout's superhuman grab
Mike Trout is one of the most exciting players in baseball, and his entire 2015 campaign can be characterized by one magnificent play. The Los Angeles Angels center fielder saved his best defensive play for a game late in September, when he majestically scaled the wall and reached well beyond the fence to rob a homer. He just makes it look too easy.
Pillar's Spider-Man catch
Kevin Pillar lost out on a Gold Glove to Kevin Kiermaier, but that doesn't mean he wasn't worthy of the honor. The Toronto center fielder made jaws drop in early April, when he scaled the left-field wall at Rogers Centre like Spider-Man on Jackie Robinson Day to take away a homer.
Colon goes behind-the-back
Is there a more lovable player than Bartolo Colon? The New York Mets hurler, who weighs in at a hearty 285 pounds and isn't known for his athleticism, shocked the baseball world with a perfectly executed behind-the-back flip on a dribbler down the first-base line in September.
(Videos courtesy: MLB.com)