Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

Mascot on Scooter Collides With Alek Thomas at Triple‑A Game

The widely shared clip raises fresh questions about safety protocols for in‑stadium promotions and masked performers.

Image
Image
Image
An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Sacramento River Cats mascot runs into Oklahoma City Comets outfielder Alek Thomas on a scooter between innings, Image 2 shows Sacramento River Cats mascot runs into Oklahoma City Comets outfielder Alek Thomas on a scooter between innings

Overview

  • Video shows the Sacramento River Cats mascot, Dinger, dressed in a Santa outfit and riding a motorized scooter collide with Oklahoma City Comets outfielder Alek Thomas as he exited the dugout.
  • The collision, which occurred Saturday, July 25, sent both the player and mascot to the ground but Thomas returned to play and sustained no reported injury.
  • The short clip was first posted to Reddit and then spread rapidly on X and Instagram, drawing millions of views and broad fan reaction that included critiques of Thomas’s situational awareness.
  • Thomas’s season context provided framing for the reaction: he was designated for assignment by Arizona in May, traded to the Dodgers, and is hitting .259/.329/.427 with five homers and 21 RBIs in 36 Triple‑A games.
  • The episode highlights recurring safety concerns about mascots operating motorized devices and limited-vision costumes at promotions and could prompt teams to review ground‑crew and mascot procedures before future events.