The Boston Red Sox returned to the Dominican Republic for two exhibition games with the Tampa Bay Rays beginning on Saturday.
The two games offer a break from spring training as the start of the MLB World Tour in 2024. Boston took the field with several Dominican-born players, with one of them creating a moment to remember.
Enmanuel Valdez stepped to the plate and blasted a solo home run around the foul pole in right field to extend the lead for the Red Sox in the sixth inning to sixth inning of an eventual 4-0 win for Boston.
The infielder is a native of San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, and he showed what he could do on Saturday night. Valdez got occasional time at second base last year, hitting .266 with six home runs in 49 games. Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been complimentary of Valdez and Wilyer Abreu, who both came over in a 2022 trade with the Houston Astros.
The 24-year-old could very well be in the lineup on Opening Day in place of Vaughn Grissom, who has missed time this spring with a groin injury.
The Red Sox and Rays will play another exhibition on Sunday before the teams return to spring training.
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Featured image via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
