Whenever he stepped into the batter’s box, the crowd at Dodger Stadium used to chant, “Cruuuuz!” He was a role player on the Dodgers for less than two seasons, but the team sold his replica jersey in the team store.
Luis Cruz was beloved by fans.
Over the weekend, it was the now-40-year-old Cruz who played the role of fan as he recounted the walk-off grand slam that made Shohei Ohtani the sixth player in baseball history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season.
A decade ago, one season after he was designated for assignment by the Dodgers, Cruz played for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League.