Red Sox 28-year-old rookie Jamie Westbrook recorded his first MLB hit during the eighth inning Wednesday, then gave the baseball to his mom, Jen.
“She was battling breast cancer the past five months or so,” Westbrook said. “She’s in remission now. Just finished radiation last week. So I think she deserves that ball.”
The Red Sox won 9-0 over the Braves here at Fenway Park. Westbrook said that his mother deserves the ball for more reasons than beating cancer.
“The reasons … I’d be here all day talking to you guys,” Westbrook said. “So she’s got it.”
Westbrook’s grandfather also attended the Red Sox’ win Wednesday.
“First time he’s seen me play in person so I think he brought some good luck for sure,” Westbrook said.
Westbrook, a Diamondbacks 2013 fifth round draft pick, spent 11 years in the minors. He has played for five different organizations. He also played in Indy Ball in 2020 and in Mexico. He recorded 5,075 career plate appearances in professional ball before reaching the big leagues for the first time ever Sunday.
The Springfield native lived in Holyoke until he and his parents moved to Arizona when he was 10.
Westbrook pinch hit for Enmanuel Valdez in the eighth inning and singled 242 feet to left field. He connected on a 77.2 mph curveball from Braves right-handed reliever Jimmy Herget.
“It’s indescribable,” he said. “Just to see the ball hit the grass. Because I don’t know — you fear you’re in the minor leagues so long, you’re like, ‘Man, what if I go up there and …?’ You never know how things happen. So it was nice to get it out of the way for sure and just be able to keep looking forward.”
As Westbrook stood at first base, the Red Sox put a message on the Jumbotron to let fans know it was his first MLB hit. The crowd gave him a loud ovation.
“I don’t know if I heard too much,” Westbrook said. “It kind of was just like I didn’t know what was going on. But I’m sure there was definitely a roar. Red Sox fans are knowledgeable and they care about us. And it’s cool to have almost 30,000, 40,000 people, whatever it is, behind you.”
Westbrook said “it seems like” he’s received 2,000 text messages since being promoted.
“I’m going to get back to everybody,” Westbrook said. “It just might take a couple of weeks. But it’s been a lot of people reaching out, a lot of people I’ve known for most of my life, guys that I haven’t heard from in years. So it’s really cool to feel their support.”
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