Watch: Yankees' minor league bat dog interrupts game to try to play fetch
If you're a baseball connoisseur, then you're likely aware of Derby and Rookie, the two adorable dogs who function as bat retrievers for the Trenton Thunder, the Double A affiliate of the Yankees. A father-son Golden Retriever duo, Derby and Rookie are tasked with fetching bats and water and are also a constant presence at Thunder games, to the (likely) delight of everyone.
On Tuesday, fans of the Yankees' Triple A team in Scranton Wilkes Barre got to experience the joy of a dog at the park when the Thunder let Rookie work as the bat dog for a game between the Rail Riders and the Norfolk Tides. But they also got an unexpected treat, as documented by Conor Foley of the Scranton Times Tribune: Rookie indulging his basic dog instincts to try to play fetch with a baseball thrown from the home plate umpire to the pitcher.
Playing fetch mid-game may not be part of Rookie's official responsibilities, but we can all agree that, no matter what, he's still a very good dog.
