Pujols gives young fan bat, makes his day

May 23rd, 2021

Here’s another reason baseball is the best. After being removed for a pinch-runner following his RBI single in the top of the eighth inning of the Dodgers' 6-3 win over the Giants on Saturday at Oracle Park, made a young Dodgers fan’s day -- and cemented a fan for life.

Pujols walked over to the end of the dugout where a young Dodgers fan was seated and offered his hand for a fist bump. Already there -- day made, fandom for life guaranteed. As the fan turned to his seatmates with a smile, Pujols turned back into the dugout, but he wasn’t done yet. He grabbed a bat from the rack and handed it to the fan, whose face lit up with a smile that you could’ve seen all the way from Dodger Stadium.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts talked after the game about how fans look up to superstars like Pujols, saying, "For him to reciprocate that and make a young fan's day, year, whatever it is, it's a treasure I'm sure that person will have for a long time. It's not a surprise."

What a moment, orchestrated by the future Hall of Famer in his first game in San Francisco as part of the Giants-Dodgers rivalry.