After the Los Angeles Dodgers’ batboy prevented Shohei Ohtani from being injured on Wednesday, Ohtani wanted the world to know his thoughts on the man.
The event occurred on Saturday during a Dodgers game against the Chicago White Sox when a foul ball hurtled toward their dugout.
The video from Wednesday’s 4-0 Dodgers victory at Guaranteed Rate Field shows Ohtani standing behind Herrera’s right shoulder while the two stand on the dugout stairs. Quick on his feet, Herrera reacts as a blazing foul ball hurtles straight at the face of the two-time American League MVP.
38-year-old batboy Javier Herrera—who has been in the role for 20 years—has been hailed a hero by Ohtani and everyone else who sees the viral video clip.
Without thinking, Herrera reached out and grabbed the foul ball as it sped toward Ohtani. He seems utterly unfazed by the situation, and the tape captures the unbelievable moment:
Ohtani captured a photo of Herrera at his subsequent meeting with the media and posted it to his Instagram story with the remark, “My hero!!” Everyone praised him for his deeds.
The team should reward Herrera for his bravery by extending his contract and giving him a raise, according to manager Dave Roberts. But the batboy didn’t appear to care and seemed to want to remain in the background.
He was only performing his duties, he stated.
The fast-moving ball may have gravely injured Ohtani, even though he was wearing his helmet at the time.
Ohtani is widely considered the best player in Major League baseball. He is the modern-day Babe Ruth. He hits for power and can also pitch, something that hasn’t been seen in baseball since the Big Bambino.
At 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored, Ohtani was instrumental in the Dodgers’ 4-0 win over the White Sox, as he also launched his 25th home run of the year.