Bryan De La Cruz adopted a puppy at Phillies pet night
Phillies outfielder Bryan De La Cruz adopted an Alaskan Klee Kai puppy at Citizens Bank Park during Friday's Save a Pet at the Park event, hours before a pinch hit in a 10-inning win over St. Louis. The Pennsylvania SPCA benefit also featured adoptable animals on the First Base Plaza alongside $60 signed mystery baseballs.
Key Takeaways
- Bryan De La Cruz adopted an Alaskan Klee Kai puppy for his one-year-old daughter during Save a Pet at the Park on August 21, 2026.
- Phillies Charities hosted adoptable animals from the Pennsylvania SPCA at Citizens Bank Park's First Base Plaza before a 6:40 p.m. game against St. Louis.
- Signed mystery baseballs sold for $60 (current players) and $20 (former players), with proceeds benefiting the shelter.
- Translator Diego D'Aniello also adopted a puppy from the same litter and floated the name Walk-off after Alec Bohm's walk-off triple.
- The Phillies Charities online auction runs through August 31 at 6 p.m. and also supports the Pennsylvania SPCA.
What happened at Save a Pet at the Park on Friday?
Citizens Bank Park hosted Save a Pet at the Park on August 21, 2026, ahead of a 6:40 p.m. first pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals. MLB.com reported that Phillies Charities, Inc. brought adoptable kittens, cats, puppies and dogs to the First Base Plaza in partnership with the Pennsylvania SPCA.
Gates opened at 4:40 p.m. at third base and left field and at 5:10 p.m. everywhere else. The night also included Mystery Balls, a pet supply donation drive, and a Phillies Charities online auction. The game went 10 innings and finished 7-6, leaving Philadelphia at 71-58.
Why did Bryan De La Cruz adopt a puppy before his pinch hit?
Bryan De La Cruz was greeted by adoptable puppies on his way into the park. He adopted an Alaskan Klee Kai for his one-year-old daughter, planning to surprise her when he returns to the Dominican Republic after the season ends.
"My daughter, she wants a dog," De La Cruz said through translator Diego D'Aniello. "So we were going to adopt a dog back home in DR, so I'm going to surprise her and give her this one." The 29-year-old outfielder has never owned a dog before and must keep the adoption secret from his daughter for now.
His sons already call the puppy Pickles, though one older child wants a different name. Hours later, De La Cruz recorded a pinch hit in Philadelphia's extra-inning win—the same night Bohm delivered a walk-off triple.
What do the Pennsylvania SPCA mystery baseballs cost?
Fans on the First Base Plaza could buy signed mystery baseballs for $60 if autographed by a current Phillies player or $20 for a former player. Buyers do not learn whose signature is inside until purchase—a small whodunit twist that fits the puzzle-minded readership in our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries coverage.
Donation boxes at the First Base, Third Base and Left Field gates and at the Home Plate Suite and Club Entrance collected blankets, bath towels, canned food only, plus treats and toys. Dry food was not accepted.
Who else adopted a puppy from the Phillies pet night?
Diego D'Aniello, the Phillies translator since the start of the 2024 season, also adopted an Alaskan Klee Kai from the same litter. He suggested Walk-off as a possible name, noting Bohm's walk-off triple on the same night.
Social media photos showed puppies that looked like husky pups, but the American Kennel Club describes Alaskan Klee Kai as small, energetic spitz-type dogs bred to resemble miniature Siberian Huskies. They typically grow 12 to 17 inches tall and weigh six to 25 pounds.
Pennsylvania SPCA adoption fees range from $75 to $450 depending on age, size and wait time, covering spay or neuter, microchip registration, vaccines and more. The Phillies Charities auction at phillies.com/auctions remains open until 6 p.m. on August 31.