In the summer of 1962, young Scott "Scotty" Smalls moves to the San Fernando Valley and joins a tight-knit group of neighborhood boys who play baseball daily at a local sandlot under the guidance of their talented leader, Benny Rodriguez . After the team's only baseball is destroyed, Smalls borrows a prized baseball autographed by Babe Ruth from his stepfather, Bill, unaware of its immense value, and accidentally hits it over the fence into the yard of "the Beast"—a fearsome English Mastiff guarded by a blind former ballplayer named Mr. Mertle . After a series of failed mechanical retrieval attempts, Benny is inspired by a dream of Babe Ruth to courageously hop the fence, leading to a thrilling chase through town that ends with the boys rescuing the trapped dog, befriending Mr. Mertle , and trading the chewed-up relic for a baseball signed by the legendary 1927 Murderers' Row team. This adventure cements their lifelong bonds and improves Smalls' relationship with his stepfather, setting the stage for the boys' diverse adult lives, which culminate in Benny playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers while Smalls covers his game-winning plays from the broadcast booth as a sports commentator.