Watch: Garcia nearly robs Butler of HR, ends up assisting him instead

By foxsports
Published

Avisail Garcia of the Chicago White Sox was the victim of some unfortunate luck on Thursday afternoon.

With Chicago closer Daniel Robertson trying to cling to a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth, Oakland Athletics slugger Billy Butler crushed a deep drive to right field. Garcia, who leads the AL with 16 outfield assists and is one of the more consistently above-average defenders, ranged back and jumped at the wall. He caught the ball, but his momentum carried the glove over the edge and the ball popped out for a three-run homer.

For the Sox, it was agonizingly close to an amazing catch that would have kept the game tied (the runner on third would have tagged). For Butler and the A's, it was a miraculous turn of events. 

Butler has had an extremely tough first season in Oakland, hitting just .254/.325/.392 with 13 home runs and a -0.6 WAR entering play Friday, but he's hit .368/.419/.632 so far in September. Moments like Thursday's haven't come often for him in 2015, but the A's would like to see this hot streak carry over into next season.

(h/t MLB.com)