The Los Angeles Dodgers have a lot invested in Shohei Ohtani, and they want to make sure that investment is protected. During Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox, the quick hands of a batboy did the bulk of that protecting.
With the Dodgers up to bat, Ohtani was hanging out near the dugout entrance while teammate Kike Hernandez was at the plate. That's when Hernandez ripped a foul ball toward his own dugout, and it headed straight for the face of Ohtani.
Luckily for Los Angeles, the batboy posted up by the dugout had some cat-like reflexes. He reached up and snagged the foul ball with a bare-handed grab to keep Ohtani from needing extensive dental work.
大谷さんを守るスーパーナイスキャッチ pic.twitter.com/Jigysd79Ta
— Summer🌈 (@Showy___17) June 27, 2024
The value of that batboy's soft hands was on full display in Wednesday's game. Ohtani hammered a solo home run, his 25th of the season, to leadoff the game.
Last offseason, the Dodgers signed Ohtani to a 10-year contract worth $700 million, and he has not disappointed. The superstar slugger is hitting .322 with 25 home runs and 61 RBI before the MLB All-Star break. He's a big reason why Los Angeles has an 8.5-game lead in the NL West.
