Before Jamie Westbrook stepped on the field at Fenway Park on Sunday afternoon, he acknowledged how his long-awaited journey made his MLB debut all the more special.
Safe to say the scenario in which he entered the game for the Boston Red Sox added to the moment, as well.
“That was nuts, man,” Westbrook told reporters after Boston’s 8-4 loss in extra innings, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “If you’re going to get in there, I guess it’s the best time. Get thrown right into the fire.”
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Westbrook stepped to the plate for his first MLB at-bat with runners on first and second and two outs in the ninth inning of a tie ballgame. A swing of the bat would have made for a storybook experience for Westbrook, which is exactly what Red Sox manager Alex Cora was hoping for.
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“I was thinking, ‘Just have a good at-bat,'” said Westbrook, who took a five-pitch walk to load the bases. “It was really cool. The crowd was loud. When it got to 3-1, kind of had to re-focus. But it was awesome. Everything I dreamed of. No doubt.”
Westbrook loaded the bases for Connor Wong, who flied out to right field to end the threat. The Tigers proceeded to score four runs in the top of the 10th inning, altering the ending to what Westbrook and all those cheering for him hoped for.
“I never knew how it was going to happen, but I think that was pretty cool,” Westbrook said of his debut. “I mean, you wouldn’t want it any other way. I wish we could have come out on top tonight, but it was really cool.”
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The Red Sox on Sunday selected Westbrook from Triple-A Worcester and placed Vaughn Grissom and Romy González on the 10-day injured list. With Boston dealing with injuries and Westbrooks impressive at-bat in a clutch spot, there’s a chance the 11-year minor leaguer could see more MLB at-bats in the near future.
Featured image via Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports Images
