Throwing the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium is a rite of passage for important additions to the Los Angeles Lakers. Many Lakers from the likes of Kobe Bryant to Jordan Clarkson have had the honor of throwing the first pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
There are plenty of new additions to Los Angeles this offseason, and therefore plenty of options to throw the first pitch at a Dodgers game. According to Matt Moreno of Dodger Blue, Lakers’ new head coach, Luke Walton, will make the ceremonial first pitch on Saturday when the Dodgers face the Arizona Diamondbacks:
“Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Saturday’s game, and the first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive a Dodgers reusable tote bag presented by MLB Network.”
Walton is not new to the franchise, as he played nine seasons donning the purple and gold, but he was the hottest commodity among head coaching candidates this offseason. The Lakers made a splash when they hired Walton to be the head coach of the future, and he will be formally reintroduced to the Dodgers faithful when he throws the first pitch on Saturday.
There is a lot of pressure on those who are chosen to throw the first pitch in baseball games. There are those who throw a perfect strike, and then there is Nick Young, who ended up throwing the ball somewhere between home plate and first base.
Walton will be welcomed to Dodger Stadium with a chorus of “Luke” chants, as he represents the bright future for the Lakers. Hopefully he represents the Lakers and himself well with his pitch and doesn’t end on the blooper real with the likes of Young, 50 Cent, and John Wall.