Watch: Dodgers' batboy saves Shohei Ohtani from foul ball with barehanded catch

June 27 (UPI) -- Veteran batboy Javier Herrera made one of the best plays of the game during the Los Angeles Dodgers ' latest win, snagging a foul ball with his bare hands while potentially saving MVP candidate Shohei Ohtani from injury.

The incident occurred in the top of the third inning of the 4-0 triumph over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

Dodgers infielder Enrique Hernandez was at the plate, leading off the inning. He took a sinker for a called strike to start the exchange with White Sox starter Erick Fedde. Fedde missed the strike zone with his next three pitches.

He then threw a 93.4-mph sinker. Hernandez sliced at the high-and-inside pitch with a half-swing, ripping the ball to his right. The ball skipped off the ground and careened toward Ohtani, who was near the dugout steps.

Herrera -- a Dodgers batboy for the last two decades -- instinctively put his hands up, catching the ball to his right as Ohtani jumped out of danger.

大谷さんを守るスーパーナイスキャッチ pic.twitter.com/Jigysd79Ta — Summer (@Showy___17) June 27, 2024

Video of the star-saving snag immediately gained steam on social media, with several X users commenting about Herrera's efforts.

One user suggested that Herrera earned free Dodger Dogs for life. Another estimated the catch was worth $700 million , a reference to Ohtani's contract

Hernandez went on to single two pitches later. Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes also singled in the next at-bat. Ohtani followed with a walk. Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez then plated Hernandez with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 Dodgers lead.

Ohtani and Barnes scored two pitches later when first baseman Freddie Freeman hit an RBI double to right field.

Ohtani, who homered in the first at-bat of the game, went 1 for 2 with two runs scored, two walks and an RBI. His .322 batting average this season is best among MLB qualified batters . Ohtani's 25 home runs, 65 runs scored, .643 slugging percentage and 200 total bases lead the National League.

Enrique Hernandez went 1 for 4 with a run scored and two strikeouts in Wednesday's win. Fellow veteran infielder Miguel Rojas recorded a team-high two hits in the triumph.

Dodgers starter Gavin Stone allowed just four hits over nine innings in a complete-game shutout to improve to 9-2 this season. He also logged seven strikeouts and did not issue a walk.

The Dodgers (51-31) will face the San Francisco Giants (39-42) at 10:15 p.m. EDT Friday in San Francisco.