Athletics’ Denzel Clarke makes catch of the year, robs Angels of home run

June 10, 2025

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Athletics’ Denzel Clarke makes catch of the year, robs Angels of home run

Athletics center fielder Denzel Clarke is making waves in the baseball world with his incredible defensive plays. On Monday night, Clarke pulled off what many are calling the “catch of the year” against the Los Angeles Angels.

Facing off against Angels’ Nolan Schanuel, Clarke leaped over the center field fence to rob Schanuel of a solo home run. The crowd and viewers watching at home were left in awe as Clarke made the catch with his upper half over the wall before spinning back around to land on his feet on the warning track.

The play was so impressive that even Schanuel couldn’t help but be amazed by Clarke’s athleticism. The announcers covering the game were equally impressed, with one exclaiming, “I’ve heard the list, 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 on your list, we’re watching two different sports.”

This incredible catch comes just days after Clarke made another highlight-reel play at home against the Baltimore Orioles. In that game, Clarke sprinted to left-center field and crashed into the wall to make a crucial catch, preserving the A’s lead.

Despite only being in his 16th game with the Athletics, Clarke is quickly making a name for himself as a defensive standout. The 25-year-old outfielder started the season in Triple-A but has seamlessly transitioned to the big leagues with his stellar play in the outfield.

While Clarke’s defensive prowess has been on full display, he’ll be looking to improve his performance at the plate as well. With a .224 batting average, one home run, and three RBI entering the game, Clarke will aim to contribute offensively in addition to his highlight-reel defensive plays.

See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"

Fans can expect more excitement from Clarke as he continues to make his mark in the majors. Stay tuned for more thrilling plays from this rising star in the world of baseball.