Remember when Kevin Pillar manned left field for the Toronto Blue Jays?
Seems like ages ago, right?
Once Pillar was moved to centre field in April of 2015 he never really looked back, taking complete ownership of the position for the Blue Jays and becoming a fan-favourite, highlight-reel machine in the process.
But his time in left field did yield one of the greatest catches of Pillar’s career, one he holds dear to his heart.
The famous “Spider-Man catch” took place at Rogers Centre on April 15 during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It was Jackie Robinson Day and Pillar scaled the left-field wall, turning what looked like a surefire home run by Tim Beckham into the most improbable of catches.
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Pillar recently chatted with Dan Plesac of MLB Network about the impact the play had on his career.
“That kind of propelled me into a little bit of a name as an outfielder,” Pillar said. “Things started to roll for me after that. I made the transition from left to centre … I started making some good plays and making a name for myself.
“To me that catch will always be special,” he added. “It’s something that put me on the map.”
Pillar also gave some interesting insight into his footwork and hip positioning in the outfield and shared his thoughts on outfielders taking an initial step backward once they see a ball is hit. The 28-year-old says he doesn’t abide by that rule, which coaches have been teaching young outfielders for decades.
Check out the video below.
