Grandson Of Red Sox Legend Grateful After ‘Really Cool’ Fenway Park Moment
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San Francisco right fielder Mike Yastrzemski knew playing at Fenway Park would be special, but Thursday afternoon’s Red Sox-Giants series finale was much more than that for the 33-year-old.
Before first pitch, Yastrzemski was paid a visit from his grandfather and all-time Red Sox icon, Carl Yastrzemski. It’s rare for the two Yastrzemski’s to bond at the same ballpark Carl once called home for 23 seasons, but San Francisco’s interleague visit to Boston provided exactly that.
“One of the things that he’s done incredibly well as a grandfather is letting me have my career,” Mike Yastrzemski explained, per Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, after San Francisco’s 3-1 win over Boston. “He’ll pick up the phone when I call or if I ask him questions, he’ll answer. But he’s never forcing anything on me. He’s never suggesting anything. He’s always told me, ‘When in doubt, talk to your hitting coaches.'”
As if the afternoon couldn’t be more perfect for the Yastrzemski family, Mike seized the cherry-on-top moment in the top of the third inning.
The six-year veteran belted a solo home run off Boston’s Josh Winckowski, breaking open the score by giving the Giants an early 1-0 lead. Yastrzemski relished in the moment, rounding the bases while returning to home plate to a round of applause from family members watching. He’d gone yard once again — for the second time in as many visits to Boston — in the same place his grandfather did 237 times through the 84-year-old living legend’s career.
Yaz.Fenway.Enough said. pic.twitter.com/e7STK7C1hZ— MLB (@MLB) May 2, 2024
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The perfect Hallmark moment.
“It’s just really cool,” Mike said, per NBC Sports. “Obviously, (I) wouldn’t have the opportunity without him doing what he did so it’s just fun. I try to enjoy every chance I get to play here. Having a lot of family here is great, and the first time I was here I felt a little pressure to perform and play well but this time I really got to enjoy it and relax and see family and have fun.”
It was also a deja vu experience as well, both for the Yastrzemski’s and all fans in attendance in Boston’s cathedral.
Yastrzemski, a 28-year-old rookie in 2019, made his Fenway Park debut, facing then-Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi in the fourth inning. On a 3-1 count, Yastrzemski crushed a solo round-tripper that landed in deep center field and disposed of all the pregame nerves.
He wasn’t the only member of San Francisco’s dugout who enjoyed it this go-around either.
“(It) got a smile out of me,” Giants skipper Bob Melvin shared Thursday, per ESPN. “I was just awestruck. So, I didn’t have a ton to say to him. … There are some cool days in baseball, and I’ve had a lot of them. This was one of them.”
Yastrzemski went 1-for-2, now hitting .242/.319/.387 for a .706 OPS with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 62 at-bats thus far. With plenty of 2024 season left for the Giants, Yastrzemski has already set quite the bar regarding sentimental career moments so it won’t be easy to top Thursday’s moving forward.
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