Daulton Varsho has been turning heads with his incredible catches in the outfield for the Toronto Blue Jays, seemingly on a weekly basis.
Following another jaw-dropping grab on Tuesday night, teammate Chris Bassitt couldn’t hold back his admiration.
“If Varsho doesn’t take home a Platinum Glove, we might as well scrap the award. He’s hands-down the best defender in all of baseball, and it’s not even close,” Bassitt remarked. “You expect him to make those plays, but he might be the only player on the planet who actually can. I won’t ever take his talent for granted; it’s unbelievable.”
Blue Jays’ Schneider and Bassitt laud Varsho for his defensive prowess.
In his latest highlight-reel moment, Varsho robbed Baltimore’s all-star shortstop Gunnar Henderson of extra bases, helping the Blue Jays secure a 5-2 victory. With one out in the seventh inning, Henderson launched a deep shot off Bassitt, but Varsho covered 108 feet and made a leaping grab to take away a sure hit.
“His initial jump, his ability to close the gap, and his fearlessness near the wall,” said manager John Schneider when asked what sets Varsho apart from other outfielders. “It’s those three things for me. We’re spoiled—we’re so used to him making those plays. Off the bat, I thought it was a home run, but he just keeps blowing us away. We’re lucky to have him.”
As of Tuesday, Varsho led all outfielders with 21 defensive runs saved, four more than any other outfielder. Despite his heroics, Varsho has yet to win a Gold Glove in his five MLB seasons.
This isn’t the first time Bassitt has campaigned for Varsho’s defensive recognition. After the 2023 Gold Glove winners were announced, Bassitt took to social media, calling it “pure stupidity” that Varsho was overlooked.
