I rolled up just ahead of our 4pm call time and unloaded R2.
Most years R2 hangs out in the lobby, but with the arrival of Shohei Ohtani to the team, the number of tour groups entering the lobby has exploded (it seemed like a group of 30 people were starting a tour every 10 minutes or less), and R2 ends up being a distraction for the tour. So, into the changing room he went.
While I awaited the other characters to get ready, I took the opportunity to check out batting practice.
Once 5pm rolled around, R2 and I, along with Sean and Rex, made our way with our Dodger Stadium hosts to our photo op area behind the center field wall. A long line quickly formed, and fans took pictures with the droids.
Around 6:00pm, the pregame scoreboard hosts joined the droids, and the group was shown on the Diamond Vision scoreboard. Due to the mismatch of the refresh rate on the scoreboard vs. the video I was shooting from when I grabbed a still image of the scoreboard, you can barely make out R2. Everything was much clearer when I took a photo of one of the monitors, though.
My co-crew members from Star Wars Skeleton Crew, Dacklin Young (VFX) and Dan Kritchevsky (Locations) came by and got a picture with the droids. Always great to see my old buddies from Skeleton Crew again!
Right before R2 had to leave on his secret mission, Sean and I got a picture with the droids.
R2's (not-so) secret mission was to head over to the home plate area, via the warning track. This year we took the 3rd base side.
Former Dodgers (and Yankees, and Cardinals) manager Joe Torre walked by. He was there to promote the Safe at Home initiative.
Current Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was nearby, although he did not meet R2 (like he did back in 2016).
R2 was joined by a couple of Stormtroopers, as we gathered behind home plate for the "It's Time for Dodger Baseball" announcement.
And moments later, it was indeed time for Dodger baseball.
As R2 and I made our way off the field and to the handicap elevator, we had to force Dodgers radio and TV host David Vasseigh from his seat in front of the elevator door. Each of us got a picture of him with R2 (also, like he did back in 2016).
Just as the elevator was descending (we actually go below field level, and then back up), I took a quick picture of the dugout. No Shohei that I can see, though.
Next, R2 took the wheelchair elevator like he always does to avoid the stairs. I was told that elevator was broken and was only fixed yesterday!
I was asked if R2 could drop by the player's family room to visit their kids (of course he'd be happy to do so). No pictures of that, but the kids were endlessly entertained by asking R2 questions, who's answers they couldn't understand. That went a good 20 minutes or so. After that, I stowed R2 back into the Droidmobile so I could watch the game.
I took a look at where we had been by the Dodgers on-deck circle, and I still saw our tracks, haha.
The Dodgers came back to win, 5-2, improving R2's record with the Dodgers to an impressive 14-3. I'm telling you, he needs to be there for the post-season.
I always love doing the Dodger games since I'm such a big Dodgers fan (having been to Dodger Camp and having been a season ticket holder), and I hope to be back.
