With the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants playing their series finale on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, Cody Bellinger and Hanser Alberto were mic’d up at various points during the game.
Bellinger was first to join the broadcast, but his in-game interview in the third inning was relatively brief due to Andrew Heaney quickly retiring the side in order. Alberto then was mic’d up starting in the bottom of the fifth, which began with Justin Turner joking that his teammate wanted to sing Lee Greenwood.
Turner and Mookie Betts were previously mic’d up for Sunday Night Baseball earlier this season as well.
Then as Karl Ravech began the interview with Alberto, he referenced his two-way play this season but had the incorrect number of pitching appearances. Alberto has made eight pitching appearances, which broke the MLB record for most by a non-pitcher in a single season.
He can hit. He can pitch. He can do play-by-play!
Hanser Alberto is an absolute joy to watch.
pic.twitter.com/h6tVaxXTZA
— MLB (@MLB) September 19, 2022
When Ravech said Alberto has pitched seven times, he interjected, “Eight man. I got the record.”
And when asked about being a two-way player similar to Los Angeles Angels All-Star Shohei Ohtani, Alberto joked, “Yeah, I can, but he throws a little harder than I do. But I think I put the ball in the right spot. I get a lot of weak contact.”
While Alberto’s personality was shining throughout his in-game interview, the highlight easily was temporarily taking over play-by-play duties for Ravech. The inspiration came from Alberto’s father, who has worked as a play-by-play man for the Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Winter League.
Alberto said following in his father’s footsteps as a broadcaster for a post-playing career is of interest to him.
Dave Roberts appreciative of Hanser Alberto
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has often spoken highly of Alberto throughout the season, and he did so once again after the record for pitching appearances by a position player was broken.
“I think it just happened organically,” Roberts said. “I didn’t expect him to break position-player records pitching. I think a lot of it has to do with being a teammate. He never runs from it, he understands the value of taking an inning to take care of a guy in the bullpen.
“I really appreciate him as a baseball player. He understands his role on the ballclub, and that’s part of the reason why fans adore him and players respect him.”
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