WEBVTT - Santiago Espinal (6-13-26) 

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<v Speaker 1>And an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 1>We're joined right now by a man that broke camp

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<v Speaker 1>with the Dodgers and has returned and certainly is a

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<v Speaker 1>teammate favorite. That's the one and only Santiago Espinal Santiago,

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<v Speaker 1>thanks a lot for the time, appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you guys for having me. Thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, so we haven't talked since you came back. Can

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<v Speaker 1>you tell us what those ten days were like for

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<v Speaker 1>you not having a team and then deciding to re

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<v Speaker 1>sign with the Dodgers.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, it was I knew what was going on,

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<v Speaker 3>and the Dodgers told me from the beginning what was

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<v Speaker 3>going to happen and everything. So they were very upfront

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<v Speaker 3>with me, which I really appreciate that. And you know,

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<v Speaker 3>I was a home just waiting. I was in La

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<v Speaker 3>because I got a house over there, and then I

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<v Speaker 3>was just waiting for a call see where anything happened.

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<v Speaker 3>And you know, at the end of the day, I

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<v Speaker 3>was I decided to come back over here since I

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<v Speaker 3>already you know, made it a family. I know everybody,

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<v Speaker 3>they already you know, made me feel comfortable with me

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<v Speaker 3>and my family.

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<v Speaker 2>They treat me well, so why not stay?

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<v Speaker 3>You know, and I especially on a on a team

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<v Speaker 3>you know that that is winning championship, you know, where

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<v Speaker 3>there's a lot of experience and stuff like that. So

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<v Speaker 3>you know, it wasn't tough at all. It was you know,

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<v Speaker 3>it was pretty easy. And uh, you know, to come

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<v Speaker 3>back to the locker room. It just felt like I

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<v Speaker 3>never left.

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<v Speaker 1>That's an interesting decision to make, right you know, you

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<v Speaker 1>have a great team, a team that has a chance

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<v Speaker 1>to three p to do something historic. How do you

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<v Speaker 1>balance that with your own personal wants of wanting to

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<v Speaker 1>play more rather than being a guy that comes off

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<v Speaker 1>the bench for the best team in baseball?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, you know it just knowing the what's my job is?

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<v Speaker 3>You know, and in spring training that already told me

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<v Speaker 3>what my job is going to be, whether I make

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<v Speaker 3>the team, you know, coming over here, I know I

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<v Speaker 3>wasn't going to be playing a lot or no, I

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<v Speaker 3>wasn't going to be playing every day and stuff like that.

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<v Speaker 2>But my job is to get already prepared. It just

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<v Speaker 2>for any.

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<v Speaker 3>Situation that they need me. I'm there, you know, and

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<v Speaker 3>I've been taking advantage of the situations that I've been playing,

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<v Speaker 3>and you know, just like I told people, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>how can I add a little bit to a winning

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<v Speaker 3>championship team?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, how can I add? How can I? You know?

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<v Speaker 3>And I feel like my defense, a little bit of offense

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<v Speaker 3>and stuff like that, it's something that adds to a

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<v Speaker 3>to a winning championship team. You know, maybe you know,

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<v Speaker 3>moving the guy over, you know, doing the doing the

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<v Speaker 3>little things right.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, Santiago Espinal and Mookie bet sat back to back

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<v Speaker 1>home runs this year, So don't short change yourself.

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<v Speaker 2>No no, no, no, no, no, no no. You know, we

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<v Speaker 2>just got there, just working, just working.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, Santiago Espinal, it seems like there was never a

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<v Speaker 1>doubt that you were coming back. Am I gathering that correctly?

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<v Speaker 1>Even if ki K stayed healthy, you were coming back

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<v Speaker 1>some way somehow.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh, you know, I was. I was thinking about for sure.

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<v Speaker 3>I was looking for an opportunity where you know, obviously

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<v Speaker 3>I wanted to play more and stuff like that. But

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<v Speaker 3>you know, the Dodgers really call me right away when

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<v Speaker 3>Kiki stuff happened.

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<v Speaker 2>They told me the doors are open. We get it.

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<v Speaker 3>We understand that you have probably other opportunity and stuff

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<v Speaker 3>like that, you know, but the doors are open for

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<v Speaker 3>you to come back over here if you want to.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, it was an easy decision for me.

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<v Speaker 3>Also, my wife is pregnant, so we're expecting the next month,

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<v Speaker 3>so we were already in LA. We were already making

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<v Speaker 3>plans for the baby to be in La too as well,

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<v Speaker 3>So you know, it was an easy decision for me

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<v Speaker 3>to stay here too.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, congratulations to you and your wife. Are you trying

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<v Speaker 1>to make it a surprise or do you know if

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<v Speaker 1>it's a boy or girl.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a girl. It's a girl.

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<v Speaker 1>That's great, a girl.

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<v Speaker 2>Dad, Yeah, go to that. It's going to be amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, it will be. Santiago Espinal is our guest. So

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<v Speaker 1>you're back in LA. You're back on this team that

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<v Speaker 1>has a chance to do something historic. But you guys

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<v Speaker 1>have to navigate the regular season. How are you guys

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<v Speaker 1>treating each game like it matters, but also understanding there's

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<v Speaker 1>a bigger goal in mind.

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<v Speaker 3>Of course, I feel like we can focus was going

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<v Speaker 3>to happen in the future. You know, I think we

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<v Speaker 3>were very press into what we have right now, and

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<v Speaker 3>you know that's winning games. You know, today's a new

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<v Speaker 3>opportunity to win another game and then go back to

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<v Speaker 3>home and then you know, win another series, so you know,

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<v Speaker 3>but we can't focus on what happens in the future.

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<v Speaker 3>But right now we just focus in the present and

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<v Speaker 3>that that is today's game. Today we got to go

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<v Speaker 3>out there and compete.

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<v Speaker 2>All right.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you for the time. You're fitting in perfectly. That's

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<v Speaker 1>what all the guys say. You got to be where

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<v Speaker 1>your feet are, Yes, sir, you say, that's what it is,

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<v Speaker 1>Santiago Espinal. Everybody's happy that you found your way back

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<v Speaker 1>to the Dodgers. Thanks for the time and keep it going.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you, Thank you so much.