For three consecutive weeks, we have probably witnessed some of the best moments of Denzel Clarke playing at the center. This man arrives, out of nowhere, every time the ball is up in the air. And most of the time, he succeeds in catching them, helping the Athletics either rob a home run or win the game.

In around 4 weeks as a major leaguer with the A’s, the 25-year-old rookie is already making waves as the most dynamic defensive talents in MLB. Remember his June 9 catch against the Angels, where the ball was expected to travel 398 feet for a homer? Clarke jumped over the wall in left-center field and took the catch, robbing Nolan Schanuel of the Angels of a home run. Now, that catch is being named as the best one of the season. 

And recently, MLB posted a small clip of that legendary moment, captioning, “Is Denzel Clarke, dare we say… Spider-Man??” As funny as it gets, the post went viral for the way Clarke reacted to this highlight reel. 

When asked about the catch, Spider-Man replied, “I don’t remember that. After I made the play, I kind of blacked out. I just remember seeing the ball in my glove, and after that it was lights out.” And right now, along with the catch, his hilarious takes are making their fair share of rounds. 

Of course, he didn’t literally black out. But probably, it was one of those catches that left him in a trance. “I just try to keep myself balanced on the wall. I had my hand there for support, and then I was able to flip over. I don’t know how I stayed over either,” Clarke explained further. Well, tbh, it was a complete dazzler. An absolute spectacle to watch him flip over the fence, grab the catch with half of his body over the wall, and then get back up on his feet. The commentators had to allow themselves “a few minutes to recollect…”

And now, when asked if he really is Spider-Man, he quite frankly responded like Peter Parker. “Imma keep that a secret.” 

But there’s probably a secret behind the way he operates on the diamond. Before every game, Clarke is often seen in batting practices or moving around the warning track towards the wall. Maybe that’s how he familiarizes himself with the distance that he needs to cover when chasing a deep drive. “I always say the first play in my first time playing in a new ballpark is going to break the ice,” Clarke shared. 

Stressing further on where he got his catching skills from, Denzel Clarke mentioned his mother. Donna Smellie Clarke was an Olympian and a great gymnast. Crediting his mother for the genes he got, Clarke definitely feels thankful that he can deliver for the team. 

Now, while we cannot get enough of Clarke’s heroics, his manager, Mark Kotsay, himself praised the man of the hour. 

Athletics manager weighs in on Denzel Clarke’s spectacular catch

Although the Athletics couldn’t win that particular game against the Angels, Mark Kotsay remained awestruck with what he saw. “That play was pretty phenomenal. I asked our bench coach, Darren Bush, ‘If he had fallen over the fence, how would they have ruled that?’ That’s about as far over a fence you can get without going over and making a play. We talk about his range. The package is instinct, reaction, and speed. He’s got it all.”

Well, Clarke is, perhaps, currently an all-round package. He has got the speed to cover a lot of ground. He is athletic in the truest sense. He can hit, and also, his reaction time is amazing. It was just his 16th appearance with the A’s, and he took everything by storm, or by his spidey senses!

Unfortunately, despite Clarke’s show, the A’s lost by 7-4. And now, they are in a state from which there is little scope for a comeback. The A’s are currently standing at the bottom of the AL West with a 30-46 record at a .395 PCT.

However, we cannot take anything away from Clarke. He has already etched his name in the good book of the Athletics with his impressive defensive skills. Kotsay is hopeful of Clarke going a long way and leaving a significant mark in the sport, not just as a fielder but also as a hitter. After all, he has been slashing .209/.232/.284, posting fourteen hits, three RBIs, and a home run as well.

Even if these numbers feel like nothing extraordinary, he’s just 25! And his defensive tactics are already making up for the loose ends. Honestly speaking, we cannot wait to book more of such ghost-like catches…