Seems Shohei Ohtani isn’t the one Dodger who has been making historical past this postseason. Justin Dean has been breaking information too, solely his accomplishments have been decidedly extra humble.
Like Ohtani, Dean has performed in all 10 of the Dodgers’ playoff video games. However not like Ohtani, he has but to swing a bat in anger, getting into every recreation as a pinch-runner or defensive substitute.
And that’s the document. Earlier than Dean, nobody had ever performed 10 video games in a single postseason with out making a plate look. That’s a mark he’ll be capable to pad if he’s named to the Dodgers 26-man World Sequence roster.
So whereas it’s not precisely Shohei-esque, it’s historical past simply the identical.
For Andy Fox, who shared the document after showing in eight postseason video games for the Yankees with out stepping to the plate in 1996, Dean’s achievement shouldn’t be taken evenly. His function could also be a small one, Fox says, but it surely has contributed to the Dodgers’ success.
“It actually takes more than 26 guys to win, right?” stated Fox, the supervisor of the Pirates’ double-A affiliate in Altoona, Pa. “This isn’t just ‘we have to fill out the roster so you’re on it.’ You have a part here and you could do something just as important as Ohtani at some point.”
That hasn’t occurred but, though Dean did rating the tying run within the deciding recreation of the Nationwide League Division Sequence and stole a base within the deciding recreation of the NL Championship Sequence. He’s additionally dealt with 5 simple probabilities in heart discipline.
Dodgers outfielder Justin Dean, left, celebrates with Freddie Freeman after he scored the tying run in Sport 4 of the NLDS.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
“He has a very plus skill set to play center field. And I feel having him in center field makes our overall outfield defense better,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “It’s a defined role and he just kind of raises the floor for our defense.”
Few managers have a greater understanding of the affect function gamers can have. Roberts appeared in three postseason video games for the 2004 Purple Sox and by no means batted however his stolen base in Sport 4 of the ALCS turned the collection round and, 10 days later, Boston gained its first World Sequence in 86 years.
“I had a defined role,” Roberts stated. “He has a defined role.”
Dean, 28, appeared in 18 regular-season video games for the Dodgers however obtained to the plate simply twice, putting out and grounding to quick. He’s not precisely an automated out although. In school he hit .389 with a .640 slugging share in his remaining 12 months at NCAA Division II Lenoir-Rhyne.
Drafted by the Braves in 2018, Dean made it as excessive as triple A — averaging extra stolen bases than RBIs in six seasons — earlier than changing into a free agent and signing with the Dodgers final winter. In 90 video games at Oklahoma Metropolis, he slashed .289/.378/.395, incomes a callup to the large leagues in August the place, abruptly, he turned a specialist.
That’s not the best way Dean hoped issues would play out, however he’s embraced his function simply the identical.
“I’m a baseball player. I like to hit,” Dean stated. “It’s not a lack of skill. It’s a matter of what the job is and what you have to do. And I do my job.”
For outfielder Alex Ochoa, who performed in eight video games with out batting within the Angels’ run to the 2002 World Sequence title, that job is not any much less essential than the reduction pitcher who comes on to get one out or the pinch-hitter who will get one plate look.
“For most people, it’s no big deal,” he stated. “But I think in the team concept, we were all just really happy to contribute any way we can. At the end of the day it’s about doing your part to bring a championship home.”
Additionally key for Ochoa was the communication with supervisor Mike Scioscia, who made it clear what his function can be.
“Scioscia was awesome with that,” he stated. “He made everyone feel that their role was super important for the whole team.”
With Dean’s function additionally well-defined, he’s begun making ready for video games in a different way that his teammates. Throughout batting apply, he stations himself in heart discipline to observe the ball because it comes off the bat, making an attempt to excellent the timing on his jumps. Then through the recreation, he’ll head to the batting cage to start out stretching and loosening his arm across the fifth or sixth inning, relying on the rating.
“I’m fully hot, ready to go probably about the seventh inning,” he stated.
Dean usually enters the sport instead of proper fielder Teoscar Hernández, stepping into to play heart discipline with Andy Pages transferring over to proper. Twice this postseason — as soon as within the division collection with the Phillies and once more within the NLCS with Milwaukee — he entered a recreation early sufficient that his spot within the order got here up within the ninth inning.
Each occasions Roberts used a pinch-hitter, which disillusioned Dean however stored his document intact.
“If there’s a chance to have him bat, it’s probably unlikely,” Roberts stated. “But not impossible.”
And if Dean by no means bats in opposition to the Blue Jays? Effectively, the worst that would occur is he’ll end the playoffs with a significant league document and, maybe, a World Sequence ring.
“Cool by me,” he says.
