Rockies Gold Glove finalist Brenton Doyle packed his rookie season with brilliant plays and finished with 19 Defensive Runs Saved, the sixth-most among all position players in the majors and most of any center fielder in baseball:
Ranking the top nine plays for the Rockies’ No. 9:
No. 9: Routine dive, Aug. 15, Coors Field
For most center fielders, it was a highlight-reel play. For Doyle, it was business as usual. In the eighth, he sprinted to shallow right-center, dove and robbed Arizona’s Gabriel Moreno of a bloop single to notch the third out of the inning. Colorado reliever Matt Koch saluted from the mound.
No. 8: Surprise, surprise! Sept. 12, Coors Field
The Cubs’ Cody Bellinger cracked a line drive to right-center in the first inning and coasted into second base with what he thought was a double. Maybe he forgot about Doyle’s arm. Whatever the case, Doyle scooped up the ball and threw a strike to shortstop Alan Trejo, who tagged out a shocked Bellinger. Colorado went on to beat Chicago, 6-4.
No. 7: Run at your own risk, Aug. 11, Dodger Stadium
96.6 mph right on 🎯 pic.twitter.com/PZR80y8Cng
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 12, 2023
The Dodgers got back-to-back singles from Amed Rosario and Kiké Hernandez to open the second inning, but Doyle rescued starter Austin Gomber. Doyle caught a flyball from James Outman for the second out and threw a 96.6 mph strike to the plate to nail the speedy Rosario to end the inning. It was Doyle’s third outfield-to-home double play of the season.
No. 6: Robbing Profar, Sept. 19, Petco Park
My goodness, what a catch made by Brenton Doyle pic.twitter.com/AtDxhF136a
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) September 20, 2023
San Diego’s Jurickson Profar, who began the season with the Rockies, was reminded of just how special Doyle is. In the sixth, Doyle dove for Profar’s sinking liner, picking the ball clean just inches off the turf for the third out of the inning, and saving a run. Doyle pounded the ground four times in celebration.
No. 5: Doyle rules, May 15, Coors Field
💎BRENTON DOYLE💎 pic.twitter.com/erMuDhRGuL
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) May 16, 2023
In the seventh inning of Colorado’s 9-8 win, Cincinnati’s Spencer Steer hit a soft flyball to shallow center for what looked like a sure single but Doyle raced in and made a diving catch, earning a salute from reliever Daniel Bard on the mound. What’s more, Doyle became the first player in Rockies history to record 10 total bases and three extra-base hits — two homers and a double — from the ninth spot in the order. “Doyle rules,” Rockies TV analyst Ryan Spilborghs proclaimed.
No. 4: Warning track, Aug. 23, Tropicana Field
Add this to @BrentonDoyle7's highlight reel 🤯 pic.twitter.com/SjKgaCM1NR
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 23, 2023
The Rays’ Josh Lowe ripped a ball to deep center field in the fifth inning for what looked like a sure double, possibly a triple. Nope. Doyle turned on his jets and went full Superman to rob Lowe. On the mound, Gomber put his hands over his head in disbelief.
No. 3: Two-for-one special, May 10, PNC Park
BULLSEYE 🎯 pic.twitter.com/L74ORHt6ER
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) May 10, 2023
The ballgame was tied 3-3 in the sixth, and the Pirates had the bases loaded. Pinch-hitter Rodolfo Castro lofted a flyball to center field for what looked like a routine sacrifice fly. But Doyle caught the ball for out No. 2, loaded up perfectly and threw a 98.1 mph bullet to catcher Austin Wynns to nail Bryan Reynolds at the plate. It was a key moment in the Rockies’ 4-3 victory.
No. 2: Respect, June 14, Fenway Park
71% of the Earth is covered by water.
The rest is covered by @BrentonDoyle7. pic.twitter.com/Bki746v6it
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 15, 2023
Even hard-core Red Sox fans applauded this play. In the third inning, Pablo Reyes lined a ball toward the left-center field gap for what looked like a sure double. The ball hooked away from Doyle, but he made a sprinting, diving catch. Gomber, saved once again by Doyle, put his hands in the air and applauded. Reyes simply stared at Doyle in disbelief.
No. 1: 105.7 mph, Sept. 2, Coors Field
Doyle didn’t throw Davis Schneider out, but he fired a shot that was heard around the baseball world. In the ninth inning of Colorado’s 8-7 win over the Blue Jays, with the Rockies clinging to an 8-6 lead and Schneider on third base with none out, slugger Vladmir Guerrero Jr. lined a ball to center field. Doyle ran 47 feet to make the catch and then unleashed a 105.7 mph strike to home —- the fastest throw Statcast has recorded by an outfielder since it began tracking in 2015. Wisely, Schneider decided not to run. After all, in the first inning, he’d seen Doyle throw a 100.9 mph laser to third base to nail Daulton Varsho.
— Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
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