Baltimore Orioles center fielder Colton Cowser has just submitted his entry for Catch of the Year.
The Orioles, who entered Monday deep in an AL Wild Card race, were an out away from securing a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colo. But Baltimore’s chances of escaping with a win looked bleak when Jake McCarthy rocked a 1-0 fastball to dead center that was destined to go over the fence.
That’s when Cowser put on his Superman cape and took flight. He timed the ball perfectly and caught it just as his back collided with the padded wall.
COLTON COWSER GAME-ENDING HOME RUN ROBBERY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/wHivffl0Fu
— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2026
Watching the play in slow motion shows just how difficult it was to make. Cowser essentially had to execute a no-look catch given the angle required to make the snag, putting his body on the line to do so.
WE ARE ALL WITNESSES pic.twitter.com/Z9iz4trpkv
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 1, 2026
There have been other outfielders who have made spectacular catches throughout the 2026 season. But few carried the same weight as Cowser’s grab, both in terms of game situation and playoff race implications.
Holy Cow! pic.twitter.com/L1UjM6fOTG
— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2026
The win brought the Orioles back to a .500 record for the first time since the team was 15-15 toward the end of April. It also kept Baltimore just half a game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final AL Wild Card spot.
If the Orioles end up sneaking into the postseason by a single game, fans will likely be playing Cowser’s catch on repeat while waiting for Game 1 of their team’s Wild Card series.