During the off-season MLB players come and go by way of free agency, trades or retirement. But it’s probably safe to say that there was only one major leaguer who learned that he had been traded while visiting U.S. and allied troops in the Persian Gulf this winter – right-handed catcher-turned-reliever Chris Hatcher.

“We had just landed in Oman and we were getting a plane to go to Abu Dhabi,” said Hatcher prior to taking the stage at Dodgers FanFest 2015 on Saturday. “One of my teammates as we were climbing aboard said ‘Hey man, you were just traded to the Dodgers,’ and I said ‘Yeah?’ because I told my wife before the trip ‘It’ll be my luck I get traded.’ I welcome it, it’s a good opportunity and I’m happy to be here.”

SportsNet LA’s Alana Rizzo interviews Dodgers newcomer Chris Hatcher before he takes the stage at Dodgers FanFest 2015. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

So how did the 30-year-old Kinston, North Carolina native end up in a war zone?

“Two years ago the Marlins sent a contingency over to bases all over the world and I wanted to be a part of that one and they kept pushing it back because they couldn’t get clearance,” Hatcher said. “So I told them ‘Hey look, can I get priority next year?’ so it lucked out in my favor and I was lucky enough to go on it.”

While goodwill tours overseas are nothing new for major league baseball players, they are anything but a walk-in-the-park vacation for them; after all, these are actual war zones we’re talking about. In fact, Hatcher was told in no uncertain terms what he could and could not talk about upon his return to the states. When asked specifically where he went during his one-week trip Hatcher emphatically said “I’m not at liberty to tell you exactly where we were. I can tell you the country, we were in Oman and Abu Dhabi.”

As for the overall trip, Hatcher became quite passionate when asked what it was like.

“Oh man, it was a humbling experience, I had no idea going over there what to expect,” Hatcher said. “I didn’t know if guys would be in warehouses sleeping, if they’d be in tents, [if] we’d be eating MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) or cafeteria food.

“I went over there to spend a week with those guys and it was an awesome experience,” added Hatcher. “I’ve got several friends that are in the forces and when they come home they don’t want to talk about it and I don’t want to ask them. So getting over there and shaking hands with those guys and thanking them for their service it was really genuine, a good feeling to be over there. When we walked up you could see them light up.”

As many Dodger fans know by now, Hatcher is very active on Twitter and frequently, almost daily, interacts with them. As such, he often tweeted photographs from his trip.

“When I went over there I wanted to try to connect people to what I was seeing for the people who didn’t have the opportunity or don’t have the opportunity to go over there,” Hatcher said. “Granted, some of the stuff I couldn’t post, but I saw with my own eyes and it was fantastic to see. I wanted the casual American to see what I got to see that I could post and kind of relate to those troops.”

Hatcher tweeted this of him sitting behind the wheel of a MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected), which he called “the baddest vehicle on the planet.” (Photo credit – Chris Hatcher)

Hatcher tweets: “Thanks to the base for putting up with us. Awarding us plaques for visiting. Great experience.” (Photo credit – Chris Hatcher)

Hatcher related that he has a personal connection with our armed forces, one somewhat similar to a scene from the popular motion picture America Sniper – well, almost.

“One of my best friends who was supposed to be in my wedding came up to me and said ‘I’m sorry Chris, but I have to miss your wedding because I’m going to be doing this’ and he showed me a [military] photograph of what he’d be doing,” said Hatcher. “I was disappointed that he missed our wedding but I was really proud of him and what he was doing,”

Although Hatcher is extremely honored to be a Dodger, he wore his American flag hat at FanFest as a tribute to our troops. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

Hatcher shared a funny story about his trip that occurred after he learned that he had been traded from the Marlins to the Dodgers.

“The last leg I had to deal with being a Dodger but I was on a Marlins trip. I didn’t really know how to go about it,” said Hatcher. “It made it easy because the first autograph signing [in Abu Dhabi], Dodgers fans there said ‘Hey, welcome to the Dodgers’ and I was like ‘Oh, okay.’ I didn’t wear my Marlins jersey, I felt that that would be a little awkward. So the first guy in line had a Dodgers hat for me to sign, so I signed it and it made me feel a little more welcomed.”

You are indeed welcomed, Chris – and thank you for your unwavering support of our troops.