Newly recruited Boston Red Sox veteran Alex Bregman broke tradition by appearing in a road game during spring training.
But it wasn’t exactly his choice. Red Sox top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer pulled a fast one on Bregman, convincing him to break an unwritten Grapefruit League rule. Veterans usually take their at-bats at home, while young players get their chance to shine on the road.
Anthony and Mayer didn’t hold back, playfully teasing the 2024 Gold Glove winner about Father Time catching up to him. Bregman wasn’t one to back down, though. He called their bluff and stepped up as the designated hitter in Monday’s 6-6 tie against the Orioles in Sarasota.
"Marcelo and Roman were giving me a hard time and asking me if I even had any gray pants in my locker," said Bregman, as per MLB.com.
Anthony ended up sidelined due to illness, leaving Bregman to take the field alongside Mayer and No. 2 prospect Kristian Campbell.
After the game, Mayer was asked about the lighthearted exchange with the former Astros third baseman.
"Yeah, he's the man," said Mayer. "I mean, we were talking about it, me and Roman, and we noticed that the veterans don’t normally come out to road games a lot, so we were giving him a little bit of crap. And he's like, 'Dude, I'll go to the next one. Like, let's go hang out on the bus.' Next thing you know he’s on the bus with us."
Bregman has quickly settled into the Red Sox clubhouse, building strong connections with the team’s top prospects. Now, the question is whether this newfound chemistry can help propel Boston back into postseason contention.
