The Red Sox have said in the run-up to this season that having a manager they can stand behind will make all the difference. The way they played Monday in their 8-2 season-opening victory over the Yankees backed that up.
Starter Jon Lester, who allowed two runs over five innings and earned the win, continued to share the praise he’s had for John Farrell since the new manager first came on board.
“The personality of your manager kind of plays out with the personality of the team,” Lester said, according to The Boston Globe. “He’s a very positive, upbeat guy. He’s always prepared, always full of information if you need it. That trickles down to the coaching staff and to us.”
Jonny Gomes, who legged out a run in the ninth inning, focused on the team’s hustle in its fresh start.
“Nothing complicated — just playing hard,” he said. “You saw [Monday] how to win a game.”
Farrell didn’t just collect accolades after the win, though. New closer Joel Hanrahan also made sure to track down the new manager after the game and giving him something tangible to remember the day.
Hanrahan passed off the baseball used to record the final out.
“I thought he might like it, this being his first win as the Red Sox manager,” Hanrahan said. “I hope there’s a lot more.”
