After completing a sweep of the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers prepared to board a flight for the final stop on their last road trip of the 2019 season. Excitement was flowing throughout the visitors’ clubhouse at Petco Park, and not just because the 1-0 victory.
Players dressed in selected costumes, with the Dodgers putting a spin on rookie hazing by involving the entire team. Justin Turner and A.J. Pollock teamed up to represent the rivalry between USC and Notre Dame, and Dustin May painted his face to go as Pennywise from “It.”
Hyun-Jin Ryu dressed as one of the Super Bowl Sharks, much to the delight of social media, Cody Bellinger and Joe Kelly combined to go as LeBron James and Taco Tuesday, and Ross Stripling and Tony Gonsolin partnered on Forrest Gump and Lieutenant Dan.
Bellinger enjoyed being part of the team-wide activity and voted for Stripling and Gonsolin as having the best costume, as seen on SportsNet LA:
“It was incredible. I was actually really impressed. There was a lot of thought that was involved and there were a lot of really good outfits. I had a blast doing it. … I picked Strip and Goose for Lieutenant Dan and Forrest Gump. That was spot on. I don’t think there was anything better than that. And then Thomas, our trainer, was a close second with the Joker.”
Caleb Ferguson was relieved to put his rookie dress-up behind him, and he also voted for Gonsolin and Stripling:
“It was a good time. Last year kind of being singled out in those male rompers J.T. put us in makes you feel really awkward. It’s a little less awkward when everybody is doing it. … I had to go with Strip and Gonsolin. Strip, it just looked like it was his everyday outfit, honestly, and Tony. It didn’t really look like those two guys were dressed up.”
With players casting their votes on the Dodgers’ chartered flight to San Francisco, the top five consisted of Thomas Albert (assistant athletic trainer) placing second as the Joker, May at No. 3, SportsNet LA producer Mike Levy finished fourth with his spot-on Ken Rosenthal costume, and famed Spanish-language announcer Jaime Jarrín was fifth as Mike Brito.
The costumes Bellinger and Kelly had drew attention from James, who gave them his stamp of approval during an interview at Lakers Media Day.
