Baseball players are well-known for engaging in practical jokes, often involving rubber, plastic, or even robotic snakes. However, encountering a real snake on the dugout steps during a crucial moment in a National League Championship Series game is a different story.
On Monday, as the Dodgers were trailing the New York Mets by six runs in the fifth inning, pitcher Brent Honeywell Jr., catcher Will Smith, and bench coach Danny Lehmann discovered a live snake in their dugout. Honeywell and Smith had just returned after retiring the Mets in the fifth, while Lehmann greeted them from inside. Recognizing the situation, they wisely chose to let the snake pass, and a Dodgers clubhouse attendant promptly collected the creature in a towel.
Some might have viewed this unexpected encounter as an omen, as some interpretations suggest that seeing a snake during a tough time represents transformation and renewal. Shortly after the sighting, Max Muncy hit a home run, putting the Dodgers on the scoreboard, and Tommy Edman’s two-run single in the sixth brought the score to 6-3.
Unfortunately, the Dodgers’ comeback effort ended there, with the Mets securing a 7-3 victory and leveling the best-of-seven series at one win each.
In the aftermath, FOX play-by-play commentator Joe Davis humorously remarked on the incident, referencing popular films with a new twist: “We’ve had ‘Snakes on a Plane,’ ‘Snakes on a Train,’ and the latest Hollywood hit: ‘Snake in the Dugout.’”
Social media quickly buzzed with commentary, with some fans joking about potential infiltration by the Arizona Diamondbacks and others referencing Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ previous comments regarding the San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado, in which he expressed feeling disrespected.
After the series, Roberts admitted that his remarks about Machado may have been a strategic ploy to motivate his team, leading to speculation about his reaction to the snake incident, with one social media user quipping that Roberts suggested the snake was a distraction caused by Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Despite the unusual circumstances, Honeywell remained unbothered, continuing to pitch two more scoreless innings. Reflecting on past experiences, he recalled a time as a minor leaguer with the Tampa Bay Rays when he encountered an alligator in the dugout. “There was an 8- or 9-foot alligator in the dugout under the bench,” he recounted, noting the earlier commotion it caused.
Faced with the snake, Honeywell expressed hope that it could serve as a positive sign for the Dodgers’ performance. “I hoped it was a rally snake, and we pushed a few runs across right after that, but…” he noted.