FORT MYERS, Fla. - Seven hundred and seventy-six days later, Jeter Downs had his Red Sox moment.
With nobody out in the fifth inning of the Sox' spring training opener at JetBlue Park against the Twins, and Downs standing at third, Yolmer Sanchez took off on a steal attempt of second. With the throw down one-hopping the base, the Red Sox baserunner made a mad dash for home.
Safe.
Two years and 17 days after Downs had come to the Red Sox organization along with Alex Verdugo and Connor Wong from the Dodgers for Mookie Betts, the 23-year-old was able to revel in success among major leaguers.
It was, however, more than just that one moment that made the Red Sox' 14-1 win so special for the infielder. This was a culmination of months (and really years) of baseball-playing evolution.
"Oh my gosh. It was so incredible," Downs told WEEI.com. "Honestly, I never felt anything like that before. It was pretty surreal. It was weird. I don’t know how to explain it to be honest. There were butterflies, but it felt right. It felt like I belonged there. I felt like I was the most I had ever been prepared to go out and play."
Prior to the game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked about the presence of Downs. Up until this point, the infielder hadn't distinguished himself to the level many had hoped when first hearing his name as part of the Betts deal. But Cora promised a different picture.
"He’s a different kid," Cora said. "He put work in. He asked to go to the Fall League. He went over there. It wasn’t the best year, we know that, offensively. But one of the things I got feedback from Billy (McMillon) and (Bruce) Crabbe and everybody in player development, last year he posted every day. It didn’t matter if he was hitting .180 or .200. Defensively, he did a good job. Wait until you see him. It’s a different body. It’s a different swing. We believe can play short. We still believe that. But obviously we have a shortstop and versatility will be great for him, too."
After the 2021 season, Downs' existence seemed like a complicated one.
The talent the Red Sox had seen when including him in the Betts trade hadn't manifested itself in results at the Triple-A level. Downs finished hitting just .191 with a .606 OPS with Worcester. He did, however, pop 16 home runs with the WooSox before hitting five more in his 16 Arizona Fall League experience.
Then there was the position issue.
After playing the entire 2021 spring training at shortstop (his natural position), the Red Sox shifted Downs to second base for 21 games with Worcester. The introduction to the spot made sense considering the presence of Xander Bogaerts at the major league level, but it was yet another adjustment, nonetheless.
"They told me to go to second, so I went to second," he explained. "(Minor league infield instructor Bruce) Crabbe was amazing. We worked on anything and everything that might have felt uncomfortable. I got comfortable really quick because he always wanted to work and always wanted to teach."
But in Downs' mind, the true corner was turned this past offseason in Miami.
Working out exclusively with Milwaukee's Willy Adames and Tomas Nido of the Mets, Downs entered into a zone he had never experienced. It was one that allowed for that feeling experienced Thursday afternoon against the Twins.
"For one, I just took a lot of time to work on my body and get a lot of things right that I didn’t necessarily have right," he said. "Just little alignments that were super uncomfortable. Just focus on that stuff. Did a lot of work on my swing, trying to make adjustments and make everything smaller and quieter. I just honestly got super-obsessed with everything. I just went off the deep end.
"I did a lot more than I have in any other offseason and I was fine doing it. I was wasn’t exhausted or tired. It was pretty cool."
As was his first exhibition game of his third season with the Red Sox.
The Betts questions have dwindled. Thursday, Downs took Step 1 toward making his own name for himself.
"I try not to think about that stuff anymore. It’s so far gone," of the trade conversations. "I just focus on now."