The dog days of summer arrived Saturday at Nationals Park. Bruce, a 21-month-old Golden Retriever, fetched a bat during a ceremony before the Washington Nationals’ game against the Miami Marlins ...

MLB rules don’t specify that a dog can’t play baseball. The Nationals won’t be testing that, even as they called up Bruce the Bat Dog on Tuesday afternoon.

Dogs always bring out the crowds. The Washington Nationals hosted pups at the park day at Nationals Park and, as part of the promotion, they called up Bruce the Bat Dog from Triple-A Rochester.

Nationals' bat-retrieving dog Bruce laps up pregame attention, makes MLB debut Bruce, a 21-month-old Golden Retriever, spent about 50 minutes on the field before the ceremony, where he was hounded ...

Bruce, the bat dog, retrieves a bat as he is recognized before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) ...

Bruce, the bat dog, retrieves a bat as he is recognized before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) ...

Bruce, the bat dog, retrieves a bat as he is recognized before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) ...

Bruce, the bat dog, retrieves a bat as he is recognized before a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) ...