Skip to main content

Coming into Monday night's game, Texas Rangers outfielder Eli White had played in just 119 career MLB games, posting a career -0.2 bWAR since coming up in 2020.

He's been a serviceable player that Texas has used, but just hasn't been nearly the productive player they were hoping for.

Monday changed things quite dramatically as White made what could be the catch of the year in Major League Baseball, reaching well over the left-center field wall to rob Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi of a home run.

In terms of all-time home run robberies in Texas Rangers history, this ranks up there among the best.

It's also probably the best home run robbery in the short history of Globe Life Field, which opened up in 2020.

The catch was one thing, but then, White one-upped himself in the bottom of the second inning, hitting a 417-foot home run to dead center field.

It's been a great first few innings thus far for the Rangers against a tough Rays team, knocking out starter Drew Rasmussen out of the game before the fourth inning.

Catcher Jonah Heim also went deep for Texas, who has won four of its last five games, including three of four this most recent weekend against the Oakland Athletics.

This should be an exciting series as the Rangers hover around the .500 mark and the Rays are expected to be once again competing for a spot in the postseason and then some. 

Tampa has had Texas's number on the road since 2010, with a 23-19 record at Globe Life Park/Field through the end of the 2021 season.

However, Texas definitely has Tampa's number tonight through the first few innings.