BOSTON – As a ridiculous throw from right-center came searing into the waiting glove of third baseman Rafael Devers, you might have thought for a moment that Dwight Evans or Mookie Betts was back in uniform for the Red Sox.
But it was Hunter Renfroe who came up with this ridiculous throw, which Statcast measured at 92 mph, in the top of the second inning of Boston’s 4-1 loss to the Athletics on Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
With the Red Sox leading, 1-0, at the time, Matt Chapman belted a one-out drive to deep center field, where Alex Verdugo ran out of real estate as the ball banged off the wall. In fact, Verdugo fell down in his attempt to catch the ball.
But that was fortuitous for the Red Sox. Renfroe was in perfect position to back up the play and came up firing with a perfect one-hop throw to third, as Devers slapped the tag down to get starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez a highlight-reel second out of the inning.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has continually said since Spring Training that Renfroe is an exceptional outfielder, and the veteran proved it on this electrifying play.
It was the hardest-thrown assist by a Boston outfielder this season, and the third-hardest by a Boston outfielder since the start of 2020.