Former Los Angeles Dodgers player, coach and broadcaster Manny Mota is recovering after suffering a stroke Monday night, the team announced Tuesday.
“Dodger legend Manny Mota suffered a stroke. He is in recovery, where he is responsive to commands and is resting comfortably,” the Dodgers posted on X at 8:13 a.m.
Mota, who played for the Dodgers from 1969 through 1980 before returning for one at-bat in 1982, became a fan favorite for his pinch-hitting prowess in clutch situations.
Spanish-language broadcaster Jaime Jarrín told the Los Angeles Times in a past interview that former Manager Walter Alston once said, “Manny Mota could be sleeping, get out of bed, go to bat and get a hit.”
Born Manuel Rafael Mota Geronimo in the Dominican Republic, Mota played 20 years of Major League Baseball, finishing his career with more than 3,700 plate appearances and an impressive lifetime batting average of .304.
He was selected as an All-Star in 1973 and appeared with the Dodgers in the 1974, 1977, and 1978 World Series.
The 87-year-old also coached with the Dodgers from 1980 through 2013, taking part in the team’s World Series wins in 1981 and 1988, and has spent several years in the booth as a color commentator on the Spanish-language broadcast team.