BOSTON (WEEI.com) -- Boston Red Sox reliever Ryan Brasier decided to bring his kids along for the team's World Series run last October. He got called into a court as a result.
The right-hander revealed to USA Today's Bob Nightengale he received a court summons in the mail from his hometown, Wichita Falls, Texas, asking to explain why his 8-year-old son, Kolten, had missed 21 days of school in the fall. Brasier wanted his entire family, including his 4-year-old daughter, to witness playoff baseball in person.
"It was the dumbest thing I heard in my life," Brasier told USA Today. "It was ridiculous. We even had to hire a lawyer. It was a debacle. It wasn't like we just weren't sending him to school. There was a reason he wasn't in school."
The matter was eventually resolved, and Brasier's kids are back in school. He says he holds no regrets about his spontaneuous parenting decision.
"It's one thing if he was in high school or even junior high, but he was in first grade," Brasier said.
With Craig Kimbrel no longer with the team -- the future Hall of Fame closer who reportedly wanted $100 million at the start of the offseason remains on the free-agent market -- Brasier's role in the bullpen is expected to increase. Brasier is slated to share the late-inning duties with Matt Barnes.
He posted a 1.60 ERA in 33.2 innings last season, establishing himself as arguably the team's most reliable setup arm. It was quite a rise for the 31-year-old journeyman, who spent his 2017 season playing in Japan and signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox. Brasier allowed just one run in 8.2 postseason innings.
By Alex Reimer