In the rush to prepare for a 60-game sprint with a small number of players available, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been playing with their clubhouse assistant Francisco Herrera, also known as “Chico,” in their games within the squad.
He not only plays, but also stars.
In a tweet today, the Dodgers highlighted a difficult catch by Herrera from outfielder Mookie Betts’ bat. Herrera, playing in left field, tracked down the Betts blast and shot the ball again, bending a base runner who presumed the line drive rocket was destined for additional bases.
The broker should have known better. On Saturday, Herrera made a similar play, tracing a ball to the bottom left and shooting the ball to second base, catching running back Chris Taylor who tried to score and advance from first. The play wasn’t even close, and Taylor was shot dead. .
Herrera has been a regular member of the Dodgers since 2008, going from part-time clubhouse assistant to full-time position. He was only playing on scrimmage due to a shortage of players, and had not been in a competitive game in 10 years.
After a difficult start, where he misinterpreted a ball on a triple, Herrera calmed down and impressed. He hasn’t had a at-bat yet, but his teammates are pushing for his hip Joe Hardy. Infielder Justin Turner wore a #LetChicoHit jersey as part of the effort.
Herrera is not too sure about making a turn at the plate.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been swinging a bat,” Chico told the Los Angeles Times. “It would make me look like a fool.”