Although not exactly a household name among Dodger fans, 30-year-old Dodgers minor league catcher Chris Okey did exactly what you are supposed to do when you come up with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and runners on first and second and the game tied 1-1 – you smoke a double into the left field corner to make it 3-1, which is what Okey did in the Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles eventual 7-1 win over the Anaheim Angeles of Anaheim.
Oh sure, it was “just another meaningless Spring Training game” (as they are often called) following the Dodgers historic two-game regular-season sweep of the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, but any win over the American League team that isn’t even located in Los Angeles County is always gratifying for fans of LA’s only real MLB team.
Okey, a native of Altamonte Springs, FL and second-round draft pick in 2016 out of Clemson University by the San Diego Padres, appeared in seven games with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 and two games with the (wait for it…) Angels of Anaheim in 2023, with a combined slash line of .143/.200/.143/.343 in those previous nine major league games. He had only two hits (both singles), in those nine games, with three runs scored and no RBIs.
Okey’s chances of breaking camp on the Dodgers 26-man or even the 40-man roster are rather slim. That said, he most certainly could begin the 2025 campaign at Double-A Tulsa or possibly even Triple-A OKC. Then again, we all know that you can never have too many catchers in your organization.
Although Okey is credited with driving what would end up being the game-winning run(s), the most noteworthy run on Sunday was a towering solo home run into the Right Field Pavilion by Dodgers likely Opening Day (and everyday) third baseman Max Muncy on the very first pitch of the bottom of the fifth inning from 26-year-old Angels right-hander José Soriano.
(SportsNet LA)
Pretty sure this wasn’t “just another meaningless Spring Training game” for Chris Okey, Max Muncy, and probably every Dodger fan on the planet.
Play Ball!
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