The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani wants everyone to know what he thinks of the team’s batboy, who saved him from possible injury on Wednesday.
The incident happened during a game with the Chicago White Sox when a foul ball careened toward the Dodgers’ dugout, Fox News reported Saturday.
The batboy, 38-year-old Javier Herrera, who has held the position for 20 years, did something no one expected as Ohtani stood behind him, according to Breitbart News.
When the ball flew toward him, Herrera instinctively caught it barehanded. He did not seem at all fussed by what happened, and video footage shows the incredible moment:
His actions had everyone singing his praises, and when Herrera later met with the media, Ohtani took a picture and shared it to his Instagram story with a caption that read, “My hero!!”:
Manager Dave Roberts said the team should extend Herrera’s contract and give him a raise for his courageous actions. However, the batboy did not think it was a huge deal and seemed to prefer to keep a low profile.
“I was just doing my job,” he said.
Social media users shared their thoughts on the incredible catch and Ohtani’s reaction, one person writing, “No joke, if i were Ohtani i’d gift that dude a down payment on a home.”
“I have NEVER seen a bat boy/girl with this great of reaction time in my 50yrs of living!!!! What a stud!!” another user commented, while someone else said, “Give that guy a glove and put him on the field. Outstanding reflexes.”
Ohtani was wearing his helmet when the incident happened, but he still could have been seriously hurt by the fast-flying ball, per the Fox article.
“Ohtani played a big role in the Dodgers’ 4-0 victory over the White Sox, too, mashing his 25th home run of the season in a 1-for-2 performance with two walks and two runs scored,” it concluded.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.