Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani signed the largest sports contract in history when he agreed to a 10-year, $700 million deal last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The superstar pitcher and designated hitter’s life flashed before his eyes during a recent matchup with the White Sox.
But the Dodgers batboy saved superstar Shohei Ohtani’s life with these cat-like reflexes.
The first known mention of the word “baseball” dates all the way back to 1744.
Baseball has been played throughout America’s history.
The New York Knickerbockers were founded in 1845, and the National Association of Baseball Players was formed not long afterward in 1857.
Even though it sits below the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) in popularity, baseball is still considered America’s national pastime.
Baseball’s popularity in America attracts the world’s best players from all around the globe to come play in the United States.
One of those players is Japanese-born Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani is one of the rare professional baseball players who pitches and hits.
And he performs exceptionally well at both.
In 2021, he became the first MLB player to hit at least ten home runs, steal 20 bases, pitch at least ten games, and strike out at least 100 batters in a single season.
He won the American League Most Valuable Player Award for his efforts that year.
In 2023, he was the first to have ten wins as a pitcher and 40 home runs in the same season.
Ohtani’s performance in 2023 earned him a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.
But the Dodgers almost lost their superstar to a line-drive foul ball in a recent game against the White Sox.
A video of the scary incident shows Ohtani standing on the dugout steps facing away from the batter with his right shoulder when the batter rips a blistering foul ball directly at Ohtani’s head.
With Ohtani not paying attention to the field, the ball was headed directly for his unprotected skull.
But Dodgers batboy Javier Herrera suddenly whips his right hand up and catches the speeding ball just a few feet before Ohtani’s head.
A baseball can come off a player’s bat, going well over 100 miles per hour.
Just last year, Brewers shortstop Willy Adames was struck on the head by a foul ball and had to be rushed to the emergency room.
But the phenomenal bat boy saved Ohtani from meeting the same fate.
Dodgers bat boy saves $700 Milliom star player Shohei Ohtani with incredible bare-handed catch 🙏 pic.twitter.com/PpfPfmyPfY
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) June 27, 2024
