Rays top prospect steals Manny Machado’s homer and fans’ hearts

Fans reacted to Tampa Bay Rays prospect Chandler Simpson’s solid play in their recent game against the San Diego Padres. After a 1-0 victory on Friday, the Rays began the second game of the series against the Padres on Saturday.

By the end of the fifth inning, the Tampa Bay Rays held a 3-0 lead. In the sixth inning, Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. brought in a run with an RBI single. In the seventh inning, San Diego’s Manny Machado hit a 407-foot shot off Rays’ pitcher Edwin Uceta.

As the ball headed toward the boundary wall, center fielder Chandler Simpson jumped and made an incredible catch, robbing Machado of a home run. The stadium erupted in cheers as fans witnessed Simpson’s spectacular play.

Several fans reacted to the clip of the moment, with many praising Chandler Simpson for his performance:

“That was a home run, but Simpson made an unbelievable play,” a fan said.

“What a great moment for this young man!” another fan said.

“That kid can do it all man,” another fan wrote.

Many other fans continued to share their reactions:

“This is good. I like this. Let’s keep this up. 💥,” a comment read.

“Long term extension – NOW,” another comment read.

“Somebody call the cops, Manny got robbed,” someone wrote.

Chandler Simpson finished Saturday night’s game going 2-for-3 while recording one walk. The Tampa Bay Rays took the lead in the third inning with Brandon Lowe’s solo homer and Christopher Morel’s RBI double.

In the fifth inning, Curtis Mead hit a sacrifice fly, making the score 3-0. In the ninth inning, Taylor Walls walked, allowing Yandy Díaz to score, securing a 4-1 victory for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rays President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander discusses Chandler Simpson’s on-field abilities

The Tampa Bay Rays’ president of baseball operations, Erik Neander, opened up about Chandler Simpson’s skill set, saying (via MLB.com):

“There’s some real hitting ability that pairs with the foot speed. That’s where the uniqueness, I think, really comes into play.”

“The over-the-fence power isn’t there; that’s not his game. But you don’t see many people that are that fast, that control the zone as well as he does and can make contact the way he does.”

The Rays are 13-14 so far this season and are set to face the San Diego Padres again on Sunday at Petco Park.