What fans were saying about Chris Coghlan’s amazing home plate somersault

The Blue Jays’ efforts to reverse their losing record got a huge boost last night, from an unexpected source. Chris Coghlan, who was added to the team’s roster just two weeks ago, was on first base during the seventh inning of Tuesday’s away game against the St. Louis Cardinals. When centre fielder Kevin Pillar hit a ball into the outfield fence, Coghlan sped around the bases, as one does.

As he was approaching home plate, the ball landed in the glove of Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who was standing on the baseline to make the tag. Most players would have barrelled into Molina and been called out. Coghlan, meanwhile, leapt into the air, dove over Molina’s head, and then somehow executed a flawless somersault over home plate, earning the Jays a run in a tight game—which they would ultimately win, by a single run, in extra innings.

Once fans’ hearts had stopped palpitating, they started tweeting. Here’s what some of them had to say:

Here’s a look at the play from one angle:

CHRIS COGHLAN, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? pic.twitter.com/GAvlTdK18u

— Ian Hunter (@BlueJayHunter) April 26, 2017

And another:

"I told you I wasn't gonna slide." – Chris Coghlan. pic.twitter.com/DQIG1qAYm2

— MLB (@MLB) April 26, 2017

It’s a little soon to say whether this morale-boost will have any long-term effect on the season’s direction, but some people are feeling optimistic:

Coghlan Flip will go down as the season turning point. Book it.

— Andrew Stoeten (@AndrewStoeten) April 26, 2017

In the moments after Coghlan’s leap, the mood was pure amazement:

THE LEGEND OF CHRIS COGHLAN!! THAT'S SOME CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHIT

— Les MakLan ??‍♀️ (@lesley_mak) April 26, 2017

Afterward, the skeptics started to pipe up. There’s a contingent of people who think Coghlan’s run wouldn’t have stood up to a challenge at third base:

I've watched it at least 20 times, and I thought so last night, but now I'm like 85% sure that Coghlan missed the base going around third.

— Joe Miller (@gajarga) April 26, 2017

Coghlan’s maneuver is already being touted as this season’s “bat flip”:

That Coghlan slide was nuts pic.twitter.com/niExIXSsck

— Kevin (@KDoc84) April 26, 2017

Or maybe it was even better than Bautista’s bat flip?

Coghlan Flip > Bat Flip

— Lyndsay (@LyndsayTaylor08) April 26, 2017

Some loved Coghlan’s leap more than they love their own families:

I love my family, but rewatching @BlueJays' Coghlan's "slide" from last night may make me happiest today.

— Al Coombs (@AlCoombsRadio) April 26, 2017

If baseball doesn’t work out, Coghlan could probably have a career in b-boy dancing:

In the breakdancing world, what Coghlan is doing is calling "an elbow freeze". pic.twitter.com/LrN9xH5HF9

— Gruber's Mullet (@GrubersMullet) April 26, 2017

The glow from the run hasn’t quite worn off yet:

In the last 10 hours, I've probably seen the Chris Coghlan jump/run 30 times. This is still my reaction pic.twitter.com/GxoT1SQP1H

— Darwish Chahbar (@DarwishChahbar) April 26, 2017

Though the mood would be very different if Coghlan had sprained something in the attempt:

I'm probably the only person watching Coghlan play thinking "You're gonna break your neck what are you DOING" which is why parents are lame

— JPRAISE (@jpraise_dmc) April 26, 2017

This isn’t the first bizarre incident involving Yadier Molina this season:

@BestFansStLouis pic.twitter.com/QOuoA4esj6

— TheDude79 (@CubsFanatic79) April 26, 2017

And here, finally, is the one true tweet about all of this:

You know the part I love the most of Coghlan leaping over Yadi? That he's a Blue Jay.

— Desipio.com (@desipiodotcom) April 26, 2017