The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Manny Mota is recovering after having a stroke on Monday night. Mota turned 87 years old in February.
A Dominican Republic native, Mota has been part of the Dodgers organization for more than 50 years as a player, coach and broadcaster. He was the longest-tenured coach in Dodgers franchise history, with his time in that role spanning from 1980-2018.
Mota began his career with the San Francisco Giants and also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos prior to being traded to the Dodgers in 1969.
“When they made the trade with Montreal, Maury (Wills) was the big piece,” Mota recalled in 2023. “They threw me in the deal, and that was the only way Montreal could make the deal. So Maury brought me here, and I’m still here. So thank you to Maury and Mr. Campanis. I enjoyed every minute here.
“Every second, every hour. L.A. is my home away from home. I’m so happy and thrilled to be here for more than half a century.”
Mota was inducted into the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022, which was established in 2010 and focuses on honoring the contributions of Latin American players through three groups: Latin American players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, The Veterans, and Contemporaries (since 1959).
Dodgers celebrate Manny Mota
Mota was celebrated by the franchise during the 2023 season with an induction into the Legends of Dodger Baseball.
“It surprised me a lot, because I wasn’t expecting this,” Mota said of the honor. “I’m so grateful for the organization doing this. But I don’t consider myself a legend. I just consider myself a player who left everything on the field and gave 100%.”
Mota finished his career as the MLB leader with 150 pinch-hits all-time.
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