Inside The Rangers

'Major League Thievery!' Watch Texas Rangers Outfielder Travis Jankowski Make Game-Saving, Home Run-Robbing Catch

Texas Rangers veteran outfielder Travis Jankowski saved the night with a game-saving, walk-off-preventing home run-robbing catch in the bottom of the ninth against the White Sox.

Stefan Stevenson

Bally Sports Southwest via X
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The Texas Rangers were hoping for a no frills bottom of the ninth as they finished off a doubleheader sweep of the worst team in baseball.

That didn't exactly happen, thanks to one of the more impressive home run-robbing -- and game-saving catches you'll ever see at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

Texas led the Chicago White Sox 4-3 with one out and two on in the bottom of the ninth when Andrew Vaughn sent an Andrew Chafin slider to deep left. Vaughn's smash was over and behind the fence when veteran outfielder Travis Jankowski sized it up, timed it right, and leapt to make a game-saving , walk-off-preventing catch for the second out of the inning.


"He made that catch! Oh my goodness what a grab!" Rangers television broadcaster Dave Raymond exclaimed. "He brings the game back! You just saw Major League thievery!"

Chafin celebrated with relief from the mound, but he was replaced a batter later after he walked the bases loaded. Grant Anderson came in and got Lenyn Sosa to flyout to end the game to make Jankowski's heroic catch stand up for the win.

Jankowski remained stoic immediately after the catch, but during the pitching change his outfielder teammates Leody Taveras and Adolis Garcia made a point to celebrate the moment and Jankowski cracked a smile.

"I'm still in shock. That's one of the coolest plays I've ever seen. One of the most clutch plays I've ever seen," Bally Sports Southwest analyst and former Rangers outfielder David Murphy said.

Jankowski did not enter the game until the bottom of the ninth, specifically for defensive purposes, replacing Wyatt Langford, who had a three-run homer in the fourth inning.

After the final out was secure, Garcia hugged Jankowski and lifted him off the turf in celebration.

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Stefan Stevenson
STEFAN STEVENSON

Stefan Stevenson worked as a journalist and editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for 25 years, covering sports, concerts, and general news. His beats have included the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, and Texas Christian University football.

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