The Red Sox gave Brock Holt a warm welcome back to Boston on Friday.
Holt, who spent seven seasons with the Red Sox before signing with the Milwaukee Brewers as a free agent in 2020, returned to Fenway Park for just the second time since he left the organization — and the first time in front of fans.
He previously visited Boston in August 2020 when he was traded from the Brewers to the Washington Nationals, but he only was used as a pinch-hitter, and he had no crowd there to cheer him on amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Now with the Texas Rangers, Holt got the start at third base and hit from the leadoff spot against his former team. His first at-bat was a first-pitch foul-out, but when he returned to the dugout for the top of the second inning, the Red Sox recognized his contributions with a tribute video — to which the crowd responded with a standing ovation.
Holt was a fan-favorite during his time with the organization for both his on-field performance and his contributions to the community. He served as the Jimmy Fund captain while he was in Boston, and he and his family have continued to support the organization even after moving on.
That’s certainly worthy of the reception he received Friday.
