New Red Sox Reliever Once Had Hilarious Moment With Umpire

It feels safe to assume the average Red Sox fan wasn’t too familiar with Lucas Sims when Boston acquired him from Cincinnati on Tuesday.

Sims thus far has had a mostly average MLB career, which kicked off with a season-plus in Atlanta before six campaigns and some change with the Reds. However, the right-hander was at the center of one of the funnier baseball scenes in recent memory.

The 30-year-old was on the mound for Cincinnati back in April 2021 when the Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks were trying to finish their game amid a torrential downpour. But Mother Nature — and the home-plate umpire — weren’t budging. Players found themselves in virtually unplayable conditions, so Sims took matters into his own hands.

In an effort to force the issue of a rain delay, Sims asked for new baseballs from the umpire and threw each one to the Cincinnati dugout after blue obliged. It was a hilarious back-and-forth, but one that eventually got the message across.

Sims now has an opportunity to make new memories in Boston, where the Red Sox are defying the odds in a season that has a chance to be very special. Manager Alex Cora believes the club “got a good one” in Sims, who will be a part of Boston’s bullpen plan “as soon as possible.”