Red Sox Prospect’s MLB Call-Up Might Be Most Heartwarming Of 2024

The Boston Red Sox addressed their gut-punching 5-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday night by welcoming a few new faces to the bullpen, including 27-year-old Zach Penrod, who's undergone a tedious, not-so-typical route to achieving his all-time dream of reaching the big league level.

Penrod initially signed with the Texas Rangers in 2018 as an undrafted free agent after two years of collegiate baseball, including one with Division II Northwest Nazarene in Idaho. After joining Texas, Penrod underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2019 season. He was released the following year, leaving the young left-hander stranded to play three seasons of independent baseball in the Pioneer League.

Fast forward to August 2023 and Penrod received another shot at the big leagues, this time from Boston where he's catapulted from Single-A Greenville to Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, and now to the Red Sox in roughly a calendar year.

"It feels incredible obviously," Penrod told reporters pregame Saturday, per NESN. "This is something I've been working toward for a long time and didn't know if I would ever accomplish. They told me last night, called me around 10:30 (p.m. ET) and I wasn't sure if I was gonna be able to sleep for sure last night, but it's pretty exciting. I kind of teared up a little bit when I got off the phone with (Triple-A manager Chad Tracy) so it was a very cool moment. ... We left Worcester at about 5:30 this morning and hopped on a plane and tried to catch as much sleep as I could."

Penrod spent seven games at Double-A to begin the 2024 season before being promoted to Triple-A. He recorded a 5.93 ERA with 40 strikeouts across 27 2/3 innings split between five starts and 10 appearances pitching out of the bullpen. During a matchup in May against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies -- the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets -- Penrod struck out 10 batters through the first five frames of a six-inning performance. And through every step of the way, Penrod has envisioned throwing for an MLB club, something his wife, Kyla, has been adamant about experiencing from the stands.

"Every day I dream of (pitching in the big leagues)," Penrod said in May, per MiLB.com's Sam Dykstra. "I think everybody likes to think we're right on the edge of that, and just waiting for that opportunity. ... I talk to my wife all the time. I was like, 'Hey, we could make a trip down to Boston on an off day, go sit and watch a Red Sox game at Fenway.' She's like, 'No, I want my first time' -- cause she hasn't been to a big league game. 'I want my first time to be when you pitch.' That puts a smile on my face thinking about it."

Zach's wife and week-old daughter, Noa Mae, will be in attendance at Yankee Stadium to support the dream-chasing Red Sox journeyman on Saturday afternoon.