Yadier Molina pulled off something wild during a recent Cardinals game. Before Dexter Fowler even made contact with a pitch, Molina threw his hands up to celebrate what he clearly knew was about to happen. Seconds later, Fowler crushed a fastball down the middle for a two-run homer. What made it stand out even more was that Molina called it before the pitch was released, showing serious confidence not only in Fowler but also in reading the game situation.
The setup was clean. The Cardinals were trailing by one with Matt Carpenter drawing a walk to lead off the inning. Fowler then stepped in and got the same pitch Carpenter saw at 2-0: 95 mph, middle-middle. Fowler didn’t miss. He’s been seeing the ball well in August, and Molina knew it. Once the ball left Fowler’s bat, Molina had already started celebrating in the dugout, going through a chain of handshakes and slaps.
After the homer, everyone caught on to what Molina had done. Teammates swarmed, called him out for the early call, and he owned it with a grin. Fans got a glimpse of the chemistry and confidence inside the Cardinals dugout, especially between Molina and Fowler. The prediction stood out more than the actual home run.