With manager Dusty Baker seeking a spark in the designated hitter spot, Hensley was inserted as the DH, marking his first-ever start in the World Series.
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"It's awesome. I've never felt anything like that in my whole life. Being so new and getting some recognition from people who live here in the city, fans, I mean that's everything," Hensley said.
There are long-shot World Series stories. Then, there's Hensley. He's two years removed from working shifts in a tile shop in California.
"(I was) kind of just sitting around, needed to make some money. One of my buddies worked at a place called San Diego Marble and Tile," Hensley recalled.
Hensley moved boxes of tile and filled orders for almost a year during the pandemic. Along the way, he noticed a change.
"My days would start early in the morning. I would go to work and I would be lifting stuff all day, moving around. Then, I would head to the gym afterwards. A couple of months later, I was feeling kind of strong," Hensley said.
The added strength made him a better hitter. The 26-year-old caught Baker's eye this spring, and Hensley contributed down the stretch after a promotion from the minors.
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The man who worked hard in the tile shop goes to work in the World Series.
"(It) takes a second every once in a while. You stand back and you see from the outside, and it's pretty awesome for sure. I came a long way," Hensley said.
For more on this story, follow Greg Bailey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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