Nicholas Castellanos unleashed an epic bat flip ... and the umpire caught it!

We've all seen bat flips before. They're almost so common at this point that their majesty, at times, feels ordinary (unless it's an adorable two-year-old).
But during Thursday's Twins-Tigers game, we witnessed a bat flip that was different than any we've encountered during our long hours of bat flip research and analysis. Nicholas Castellanos unleashed a vicious toss after a two-run homer and home-plate umpire Manny Gonzalez caught it. He. Caught. The. Bat. Flip:

“Hey blue, hold this for me?” – Nick Castellanos. pic.twitter.com/t6FswIkQKs

— MLB (@MLB) August 17, 2018

It almost looks rehearsed.

Imagine being that close to bat-flip excellence and just snatching it out of the air. The fire he felt. The power he absorbed. 
Manny Gonzalez, we salute you.