Ryan Kesler tosses home run ball back at Tigers-Mariners game

On a Friday night in Detroit’s Comerica Park, the visiting Seattle Mariners defeated the Detroit Tigers 12-3, thanks in large part to a seven-run ninth inning. Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh finished with two home runs, his second being a grand slam in the ninth inning to give Seattle a 12-3 lead.

You might be wondering, “this is a hockey website, who cares about Raleigh’s home run power or the Mariners’ chase for a Wild Card spot?” Well, it was happened with the ball after it was crushed by Raleigh that made headlines.

Yep, that’s former NHL forward Ryan Kesler, barehanding a catch in left field, then after showing up his grab, tossing it back on to the field – all with a beer in his hand.

The impressive display of athleticism was caught on camera and shared on social media, with sports fans immediately recognizing the two-time NHL All-Star.

Through 15 NHL seasons, Kesler scored 258 goals and 315 assists for 573 points in 1,001 regular-season games with the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. He’s also played in 101 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording 24 goals and 41 assists for 65 points.

His best seasons came in 2009-10 and 2010-11, scoring 75 and 73 points, respectively. In 2010-11, he scored a career-high 41 goals and helped lead the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games. He also won the Selke Trophy in 2011.

Kesler last played in 2018-19, but has not officially retired from hockey. His contract expired following the 2021-22 campaign.

Taken No. 23 overall by Vancouver in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Kesler played one season with the Ohio State Buckeyes, scoring 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points in 40 games.

Internationally, Kesler has represented the U.S. on a number of occasions, helping them earn a gold medal at the 2002 Under-18 World Championships, gold at the 2004 World Junior Championships, and silver at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He was also on the 2014 U.S. Olympic team.