Victor Robles had a companion patrolling center field with him during the ninth inning of Monday’s Nationals–Phillies game.
Robles was sitting in the dugout in the bottom of the eighth when a praying mantis took up residence on the top of his hat and stayed there even after Robles jogged out to take his place in center for the ninth.
He might have been unaware of the bug’s presence at first but as the inning wore on, Robles began interacting with his new buddy. After Luke Williams struck out, Robles signaled to his fellow outfielders, and then to the mantis, that there was one away.