‘Oblivious’ Mickey Gasper Breaks Down Clutch Red Sox Debut

Mickey Gasper didn’t look like he was taking his first MLB at-bat when he dug into the batter’s box Monday night at Fenway Park.

Gasper, who the Red Sox called up before their series opener against the Rangers, was thrown into the fire. The 28-year-old was called on to pinch hit in the 10th inning of a tie ballgame with the winning run in scoring position. While Gasper wasn’t the hero for Boston, he was calm, cool and collected as he drew a seven-pitch walk that eventually led to Rob Refsnyder’s walk-off single.

The magnitude of the situation started to sink in for the New Hampshire native after the Red Sox halted their losing streak at four games. But in the moment, Gasper didn’t feel any pressure.

“I jumped the gun a little bit when (Kirby) Yates came in because we thought it was going to be a lefty,” Gasper told WEEI’s Cooper Boardman. “So, I thought I was coming in there then. But then they went with a righty, so I got a little comfortable again, calmed my breath. It really didn’t hit me. After I took that first fastball, I said to myself, ‘Wow, my heartbeat’s pretty slow right now. I feel good.’ So, I don’t know. I guess I was just oblivious to the situation. But hat’s off to the team for giving me that opportunity and putting us in a chance to win right there and giving me a chance to be a part of it. I’m speechless.”

Putting together a great at-bat with so much on the line wasn’t the only way Gasper impressed the Red Sox on the day of his MLB debut. The former New York Yankees draft pick wowed manager Alex Cora with the fashion statement he made when he arrived at Fenway Park.

Boston will try to build on its exciting win Tuesday night when it hosts Texas for the middle game of their series. NESN’s coverage, which also will be a continuation of the 2024 WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, begins at 6 p.m. ET.