A somber discovery unfolded just beyond Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night while the Dodgers were still playing the Cardinals.
Los Angeles police were called to the area near Bernard Street and Stadium Way at about 8:48 p.m., where officers found a man dead outside the ballpark. The scene was only a few hundred yards from the game at Chavez Ravine, and Shohei Ohtani and the rest of the Dodgers were still on the field when the body was discovered. There was no sign anyone inside the stadium knew what was happening nearby.
According to police audio reviewed by the New York Post, callers first reported seeing the body from the road. Multiple people described the man as being in plain sight before officers arrived. Police confirmed the death and began investigating at the location soon after.
An LAPD spokesperson later said investigators do not suspect foul play. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office said the case is still pending identification and notification of next of kin, so the man’s name has not been released. Officials have not said how long that process will take.
The location was less than half a mile from home plate, close enough that emergency vehicles likely passed within view of fans coming and going from the stadium. The game started at 7:10 p.m. and ran until about 10:10 p.m., meaning the discovery happened while the contest was still going on and fans inside remained unaware.
On the field, the Dodgers and Cardinals played a back-and-forth game that went to extra innings before St. Louis won 8-6. LAPD has not provided further details about the man or the circumstances surrounding his death, and the investigation remains active as authorities work to notify his family.
Officials have not said whether more information will be released before the man is formally identified. Police are asking anyone with relevant information to come forward.
In Other News...
Royals Suddenly Have A Jac Caglianone Concern They Can't Ignore
Jac Caglianones latest appearance for the Royals ended much sooner than anyone wanted, with the young hitter leaving the game against the Blue Jays because of left elbow soreness before the third inning. Kansas City still ended up in a tight 4-3 loss in a game that featured a solid pitching duel and timely hits on both sides, but the bigger concern was clearly the health of one of the organizations most intriguing players.
For a team trying to keep momentum in a competitive stretch, any issue involving Caglianone is worth watching closely, especially when the discomfort is in the throwing arm area that can affect more than just one at-bat. The Royals are set to move on with Randy Dobnak taking the ball next, while Toronto has not yet named its starter, but the real storyline will be whether Kansas City has to manage through a situation it cannot afford to let linger. [Read more 🡒]
Royals May Have Found A Bullpen Answer They Desperately Needed
The Royals needed help in the bullpen, and Nate Pearson has given them exactly the kind of late-inning stability they were hoping to find when they claimed him from the Astros after he was designated for assignment. Since arriving in Kansas City, Pearson has settled into a setup role and made himself one of the more important arms in the relief mix, giving the club a dependable option in front of the ninth inning.
Pearson has worked 17 innings with a 0.53 ERA, a stretch that has changed the tone of the bullpen conversation around the Royals. Both general manager J.J. Picollo and Pearson have spoken about the fit and the role he has carved out, and for a team still searching for answers in a lot of places, the bigger question now is whether this level of production can keep holding as the season goes on. [Read more 🡒]
Craig Kimbrels Royals Exit Was More Alarming Than It First Looked
Craig Kimbrels night in Miami looked like a routine bullpen hiccup at first, the kind of mid-game exit teams sometimes have to manage in the middle of a long season. But the Royals veteran reliever was dealing with more than a brief stumble, leaving the game after just two outs in a matchup with the Marlins, and the scene on the mound made it clear this was not the usual kind of in-game adjustment.
The game-time conditions were punishing even by South Florida standards, with the temperature at 97 degrees and humidity around 50 percent. Kansas City still went on to win 7-3, but Kimbrels departure added a different kind of concern to the result, especially for a club that has leaned on every healthy arm it can get. [Read more 🡒]