BOSTON — The Red Sox signed an All-Star before Monday’s home opener at Fenway Park.
Pete Frates, a former Boston College baseball player diagnosed with ALS in 2012, has led an admirable fight against the disease, even spearheading the Ice Bucket Challenge last summer. The Red Sox honored Frates before Monday’s game against the Washington Nationals by signing him to a one-day contract.
“Everything that Pete has gone through, there’s been a pretty strong connection made here with the Red Sox,” Boston manager John Farrell said after Monday’s 9-4 win. “We weren’t aware that there was going to be the honorary contract signing. I thought it was a great gesture on the part of (general manager) Ben (Cherington) and the organization. Just great to see the attention he’s bringing to his own challenge and what it’s meant really worldwide.”
Frates, of course, participated in Derek Jeter’s farewell ceremony last September. The Red Sox also honored Frates during their exhibition game against Boston College this spring by wearing No. 3 jerseys.
The entire Red Sox team greeted Frates on the Fenway field Monday while carrying those jerseys.
