Matt Barnes owes his All-Star Game outing to Los Angeles Angels star Jared Walsh, who made a game-saving catch in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Boston Red Sox closer on the hill.
And Walsh’s stellar performance — in his first-ever outing in left field — left more than just Barnes impressed. MLB.com’s David Adler ranked the play as the No. 3 moment from Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic.
If you missed it, here’s a recap: at the plate, Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant represented the tying run, with the bases loaded on behalf of Barnes.
Walsh’s sliding catch preserved a 5-2 American League and ended the inning.
The 27-year-old, who has made the bulk of his appearances at first base over three seasons with the Angels, also has played right field.
Barnes escaped the inning unscathed, giving up two hits and a walk before giving way to Chicago White Sox star Liam Hendriks for the final inning.
As for the top moment in the All-Star Game, Adler gave that honor to Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was named MVP after blasting a home run in the third inning to give the AL a 2-0 lead.
