CLEVELAND, OH – Oscar Mercado was just in time on Wednesday night, making a flying catch in center field that helped the Indians avoid another meltdown in the final innings.
Mercado made a diving grab with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth that helped propel the Tribe to an 8-6 win.
“I felt like I had a pretty good jump on that ball,” he said. “It was just so much on a line, I wasn’t sure if I was going to have the time to get to it, but thankfully I did.”
Here’s Oscar Mercado’s Superman-like catch that saved the Indians pic.twitter.com/ietPcHWkeF
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) September 5, 2019Mercado has had his ups and downs this year, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see his potential, not only at the plate, but also in center field.
He committed multiple errors on the Indians’ road trip in New York. Instead of sulking, the rookie used it as motivation.
“For a few weeks there I wasn’t exactly living up to my own standards of defensive play,” Mercado said. “I was working on it during batting practice. I just feel like I’m getting more and more comfortable back to what I know I’m capable of back there.”
The Indians are in a tight playoff race and hope to make up some ground on the Twins in the AL Central. They gained a game on Minnesota, but remain 5½ back after the win. If they’re going to make a run over the final three weeks of the season, Mercado is going to need to be a big part of it.
“That was a great catch and the timing of it made it even better,” manager Terry Francona said. “You’ve got to be ultra-talented to boot. You gotta have some pretty good speed, hand-eye coordination and all that.”
Mercado went 3-for-4 on the night with a double, an RBI and a run scored. He was a difference maker on Wednesday night, which is something he’s always capable of doing.
He has all of the tools to be an elite defensive outfielder, solid hitter and dangerous base runner. The Indians know he’s going to have his ups and downs as he continues to adjust to life in the big leagues, but they hope Wednesday’s performance is just the start of a terrific September.
If Mercado reaches his full potential, he'll end up becoming a great big league outfielder. His play this season and bright future is a big reason why the Indians' outfield doesn't feel nearly as thin as it did at the start of the season.
“The greatest (catch) I’ve ever seen, and at that moment, we needed it,” Franmil Reyes said after the game.
A play like that might not have only saved the Indians on Wednesday night – it might’ve saved their season.
