WATCH: Shohei Ohtani’s Life Saved by Bat Boy’s Split-Second Decision

What would you do if your main player manages to get injured in the most bizarre way possible? Ask the Yankees or better yet, ask the wall at Dodger Stadium. But how does a team recover from a blow like that? That’s how nastily close the Dodgers were to a serious, possibly catastrophic injury to Shohei Ohtani. And then, there was a knight in shining armor, dressed as a… Well, you’d never guess.

After Mookie Betts’ injury, Shohei Ohtani’s importance in the Dodgers offense has skyrocketed. However, it’s not like a new spot in the batting lineup has Shohei Ohtani struggling. Nor is the absence of having Mookie regularly on base hurting him that much. If anything, Ohtani is on a roll again, proving that he can be an MVP with his bat alone, and an injured pitching arm is hardly slowing him down.

After smashing his second consecutive leadoff home run, the Dodgers designated hitter found himself in a precarious situation in the middle of the innings. A foul ball rocketed toward him at an alarming speed, almost catching him unaware. To his good luck, a quick-thinking bat boy standing nearby caught the foul ball comfortably with his bare hands, averting a potential disaster and quite literally saving the face of MLB.

The Dodgers bat boy’s heroics naturally went viral on social media, with fans calling for the $700 million man, Shohei Ohtani, to compensate his savior. Social media was also fast in identifying the quick-thinking hero as Javier Herrera.

“What color Porsche is Shohei Ohtani going to give this bat boy for saving his life?” said one fan, while another was quick to announce the bat boy as “golden.”

On the other hand, Justin Verlander’s brother and MLB analyst Ben Verlander immediately asked for the boy to get a raise.

While the bat boy turned out to be the hero of the day, the match ended with the Dodgers beating the Chicago White Sox to claim their third straight game. Ohtani managed two hits (including one home run), batted in two runs, and walked once. It was also the 10th consecutive game in which he managed an RBI as he smashed his 25th homer of the season.

However, even while celebrating the incredible victory, there was only one question on everyone’s minds – who is Javier Herrera, the bat boy who averted a potential disaster?

Who is Javier Herrera, the batboy who saved Shohei Ohtani’s life?

For nearly two decades now, Javier Herrera has been the heartbeat of the Dodgers’ clubhouse. He started as an 18-year-old back in 2004 and has grown past a long list of legends, to become a veteran in the Dodgers clubhouse. Today he’s the team’s most experienced batboy and clubhouse assistant.

According to a 2015 LA Times article by Bill Plaschke, Herrera’s dedication goes far beyond the typical duties of a bat boy. He works late into the night and early in the morning to ensure everything runs smoothly. Back in the day, he would even work a job at an optometrist’s office and spend the night with his true passion – the Dodgers, evidenced by the Major League logo tattoo on his arm.

Herrera’s love for his Los Angeles Dodgers is matched by his own set of superstitions. Back in 2015, before every game, he “woke up” the bats of the starting lineup by banging them together and also ensured that the umpires received lighter-colored balls first when the Dodgers were at the plate.

For Javier Herrera, the Dodgers have always been much more than a team, and his small but timely action last night was just another chapter in that book. Perhaps a spot in the Dodgers Hall of Fame isn’t too far off for Javier, but for now, knowing that Shohei Ohtani likely knows his name is quite the reward. And that’s a pretty useful contact to have.