2025 SnakePit Awards: Play of the Year nominations open

As promised on Wednesday, the SnakePit Awards get under way today, beginning with the Play of the Year. This is always fun to put together, because I basically get to spent a couple of days assembling highlight reels. However, there are bound to be examples which escaped my attention, and that’s why we have this pre-ballot thread. As well as filtering down the nominees, it’s also your chance to make a pitch (pun, for once, not intended!) for any candidates which may have escaped my attention. Typically, we will have five nominees, and these usually include one home-run, two infield plays, and two outfield plays. But I am prepared to hear arguments to the contrary! Here’s how this will work.

• Go to the comments section.

• If your choice is already mentioned there, give it a “rec”.

• If your choice is NOT mentioned, copy paste the FULL description, e.g. “8/17: Corbin Carroll crushes one 474 feet, the longest since 2019” and leave that as a new comment.

• If it’s not listed, I’d recommend posting a link to a video. The MLB Video Search tool will be very helpful.

• Duplicate nominations will get deleted.

• On Wednesday, I’ll tally up the recs, and use those as a guide towards a list of five or so nominees.

1. 4/1: Eugenio Suarez 8th-inning go-ahead grand-slam in Yankee Stadium

2. 6/9: Josh Naylor delivers our first walk-off grand-slam since Ryan Roberts in 2011

3. 8/13: Ketel Marte’s go-ahead homer, down to our final out

4. 8/17: Corbin Carroll crushes one 474 feet, the longest since 2019

5. 9/2: Ketel Marte hammers a homer at 115.4 mph, the hardest since 2021

1. 4/6: D-backs execute the perfect relay

2. 4/26: Tim Tawa’s tremendous diving stop

3. 5/7: Eugenio Suarez’s incredible defense

4. 5/27: Jordan Lawlar sprawls out for the stop

5. 7/26: Eugenio Suarez’s barehanded throw

6. 8/6: James McCann and Gerardo Perdomo nab Jake Cronenworth stealing home

7. 9/8: Gabriel Moreno throws across his body

8. 9/10: Blaze Alexander’s sensational diving play

9. 9/10: The D-backs turn two to escape a jam

10. 9/19: Gerardo Perdomo goes deep in the hole

1. 3/29: Corbin Carroll’s sliding catch

2. 5/1: Alek Thomas’ sliding catch

3. 5/25: Corbin Carroll’s diving grab

4. 6/24:Jake McCarthy robs a home run from Ryan Noda

5. 7/7: Alek Thomas’ unbelievable sliding catch

6. 7/18: Alek Thomas’ sensational catch

7. 7/25: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. preserves a 1-0 lead in the 11th

8. 8/8: Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s sliding catch

9. 9/6: Blaze Alexander’s home run robbery

10. 9/26: Corbin Carroll’s sweet catch in foul ground

See you all in the comments!