When Carlos Correa left for the Minnesota Twins, the Houston Astros were forced to pivot to another star to take over the shortstop position.
Fortunately, they had somebody waiting in the wings and ready to take the reins.
That player was Jeremy Pena.
In his rookie season, Pena won a Gold Glove and helped guide the Astros to their second World Series title.
In addition, he earned ALCS and World Series MVP honors.
On Tuesday, he showed off his elite defense against the Los Angeles Angels, making an impressive diving catch to rob Halos slugger Hunter Renfroe of a base-hit and end the game, securing a key win for the Astros.
MLB posted the video on Twitter.
.@Jpena221 ends the game in style. pic.twitter.com/gTF8RPUPhf
— MLB (@MLB) May 10, 2023
The catch also helped secure a save for closer Ryan Pressley and a win for the team’s ace, left-hander Framber Valdez.
Pena picked up a hit for himself on Tuesday as well.
But it was his defense that stole the show and ultimately secured an important win for the defending World Series champions.
The ball was hit hard off the bat of Renfroe, but Pena dove to make the catch, making the play look effortless and putting his elite defense on display against the rival Angels.
In a well-pitched game, the Astros came out on top, ultimately defeating two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who stifled their juggernaut offense over seven innings of work.
Valdez gave the Astros eight innings, allowing just one run and helping the defending champions get back to the .500 mark.
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