No Denying Red Sox Experienced Whirlwind Of Emotions At Home Opener

BOSTON — Alex Cora and Jason Varitek admitted they got choked up during the pregame ceremonies.

Trevor Story fought back tears in the Red Sox clubhouse.

Jarren Duran used an expletive-filled rant to express his frustrations in his own on-field play.

And then there was the excitement as fans cheered for the 2004 World Series champions and celebrated baseball being back at Fenway Park.

Those instances did not have anything to do with one other, and were of varying degrees of importance. But there’s no denying the Red Sox opener at Fenway Park on Tuesday made for a whirlwind of emotions.

It started with the update that Story will have surgery on the shoulder he injured merely eight games into the season. With his injury carrying a recovery timeline in the neighborhood of six months, according to chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, it’s unlikely Story returns this season. It comes after a year in which the 31-year-old was limited to 43 games.

“Missing last season, you miss your teammates, you miss playing the game,” Story said in the clubhouse, having to collect himself with tears in his eyes. “You just know what it takes. But I’ll be alright.”

When asked about the feeling in the organization given the Story injury, Breslow said: “It’s tough. We’re balancing excitement over the way we’ve played for the last 10 days, the development of the pitching staff, with losing some key contributors to those wins. … Beyond what’s happening on the field, there’s a human element here.”

Not long after Story’s injury update from Breslow, the organization held a pregame moment of silence to honor the life and legacy of Tim and Stacy Wakefield, Larry Lucchino and other former Red Sox. Trevor and Brianna Wakefield, the son and daughter of Tim and Stacy, then walked out of the Green Monster and onto the field in front of members of the 2004 World Series champion club, a team filled of Wakefield’s close friends.

It was a joyful celebration of that team, too.

Jason Varitek caught the first pitch from Brianna Wakefield. They shared a heartfelt embrace on the field, which likely caused the Fenway Faithful to get emotional, as well.

“It was a beautiful moment from our fans and for their family,” Varitek said after Boston’s 7-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. “It was just a beautiful day. I can’t really put it into words.”

Cora added: “To see the kids come in with everybody around them just tells you who Wake was, and Stacy. That’s where my mind went. Very emotional.”

Duran showed emotion himself, sure. But the outfielder was disappointed with something far less important — a fourth-inning error he made in left field. “It’s my (expletive) fault. … (Expletive) suck, honestly,” Duran said in the clubhouse as he took responsibility for the loss. Duran said he would curse himself in his journal when he got home.

But then Duran would turn the page.

The Red Sox will try to turn the page together, and in more ways than one, after an emotional day at Fenway.