The best catch of July 4 came from Robbie Ross and his hat in the Red Sox bullpen
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Sure, Robbie Ross is decent at this whole pitching thing -- over four-plus Major League seasons, he's pitched to a perfectly respectable 4.05 ERA, and even saved six games last year for the Red Sox. But we're not here to talk about Robbie Ross, Solid Left-Handed Reliever. We're here to talk about Ross' real talent: catching home run balls from the Fenway bullpen.
Just last year, Ross rebounded from a tough miss on an earlier home run to snag a Travis Shaw dinger later in the same game. There was much rejoicing:
During Monday's 12-5 win over the Rangers, though, the lefty didn't even need a second chance. When Brock Holt lifted a fly ball deep to right-center field, Ross sprang into action. The ball bounced off the top of the wall, but he tracked it all the way, and came up with a defensive gem for the ages:
Mookie Betts? Jackie Bradley Jr.? No matter. Clearly, Robbie Ross is worthy of a starting outfield spot.