Former SF Giants outfielder Mike Tauchman robbed St. Louis Cardinals slugger Alec Burleson of a walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday night. Burleson blasted a fastball from Chicago Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay to center field. With a runner on third base, a home run would have won the game for the Cardinals. Instead, Tauchman leaped over the wall, made the catch, and secured the Cubs' 3-2 victory.
Tauchman is no stranger to robbing walk-off home runs in big rivalry games. During his short tenure with the Giants in 2021, Tauchman robbed then-Dodgers slugger Albert Pujols of a would-be walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning in a tied 5-5 game. Tauchman extended the game, allowing the Giants to win 8-5 in extra innings. The Giants ultimately won the National League West by one game over the Dodgers.
Despite his defensive heroics, Tauchman was eventually designated for assignment by the Giants due to his struggles offensively. He hit just .178/.286/.283 in 175 plate appearances with the team and opted to pursue an opportunity internationally in Korea in the KBO the following season.
Back stateside this year, Tauchman has had a resurgent campaign with the Cubs. The Palatine, Illinois native signed a minor-league contract with Chicago heading into the year but was promoted to the majors early in the season. Since his promotion, Tauchman has posted a .257/.357/.391 triple-slash with nine doubles and five home runs in 53 games.
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