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Los Angeles Dodgers Legend Suffered Stroke On Monday Night
Diamond Images/Getty Images

One of the most beloved players in Dodgers history is reportedly facing a scary health battle this week.

Manny Mota, who played for the club from 1969-1982 and coached even longer, suffered a stroke on Monday according to the team.

The righty-throwing leftfielder and pinch hitter was an All-Star in 1973 and played until age 44 — finishing out his two decades in the bigs with a .304 batting average across 1,536 career games.

"Last night, Dodger legend Manny Mota suffered a stroke," Los Angeles announced via its X account. "He is in recovery, where he is responsive to commands and is resting comfortably."

After spending his final seasons as a player-coach, Mota fully made the transition to teaching the game and went on to spend another 30+ years in the Dodgers dugout before becoming the sixth inductee into the Legends of Dodger Baseball in 2023.

"This is a great honor and a great privilege, and I'm very grateful to the Dodgers for selecting me as a Legend of Dodger Baseball," the 87-year-old said at the time. "I don't consider myself a legend, just another person who always tried to contribute to the Dodgers and give my best."

"I am humbled and really appreciate what the Dodgers are doing for me. I consider Dodger Stadium my home away from home, and I consider myself to be an adopted son of the Dodger organization."

Mota was a part of two World Series championships in 1981 and 1988 and even served as the team's Spanish-speaking broadcaster for the majority of the 2010s.

Apr 29, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster and former player Manny Mota greets fans prior to being inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball pregame ceremony before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images© Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

His run as a coach with the Dodgers is the second-longest in MLB history and he's joined by fellow Dodger greats Steve Garvey, Fernando Valenzuela, Kirk Gibson, Don Newcombe, Maury Wills and Orel Hershiser as the legends on permanent display at Chavez Ravine.

We wish Manny a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back on his feet soon!

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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