Living in the moment worked out well for the Red Sox
It was about a month ago Kristian Campbell was being fitted for his first custom suit, courtesy the generosity of Alex Bregman. Gray and navy blue. It was a special day, made even more excellent thanks to the passing comment by his manager, Alex Cora, at the time.
"Make sure to wear that when you win Rookie of the Year," Cora quipped.
For Campbell, the memory snapped him out of the here and now following the Red Sox' 13-9 win over the Cardinals in the Fenway Park home opener.
"I would have to," the rookie said, confirming his attire if such an honor is bestowed upon him. "That suit would definitely be the one."
So, with the understanding that this suit was built for special occasions the question was surfaced as to if it would be making an appearance at Campbell's press conference announcing his contract extension Saturday.
Oh yeah, that press conference ...
"I forgot about the press conference," Campbell admitted. "I was thinking about today. There’s a lot going on."
Campbell could be excused. There was a lot going on. Sure, it was nice to remember that suit-fitting back in Fort Myers, but the here and now was the priority. One day at a time. It just so happened this one day was worthy of making most deprioritize the past and the future. Those those players involved, it was that good.
"My first time here we actually got snowed out the first game. But it was sick, seeing Fenway being covered in snow. It was pretty sick. But this is a lot better being on this side," recalled the player who had executed the first extension-induced presser earlier Friday, Garrett Crochet.
This was a different picture for not only Crochet, but for the majority of those living lives as members of the 2025 Red Sox. No snow. Plenty of sun. Oodles of anticipation, electricity and optimism.
"Definitely. (Expletive), yeah," the pitcher said when asked if this is what he envisioned.
"Even better," said another newcomer, Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez, who hit his career-high with two hits. "It’s a blessing to play in a place like this and call it home."
Upon learning he would be in the starting lineup Thursday night, Narvaez immediately made it a point to prioritize a couple of things for his big day: First, he was going to soak in what would be just his ninth big league game and first as a home player at Fenway. Secondly, there was going to be a check on the weather.
He was going to make this day memorable, starting with an outfit that consisted of a matching floral-patterned short-shirt combo that could only be executed in a warm-weather weather environment. Sure enough, all systems were go.
"I saw the weather so I was like, 'Let's rock this suit,'" he said. "I won't wear it tomorrow."
It was a perfect metaphor for the entire day. Saturday wasn't a priority, and neither were the days leading up to what would be the Red Sox' first home-opening win since 2020.
The pregame reunion with the 1975 American League champion Red Sox. The five runs in the first inning. The reminders of how good this team could be thanks to home runs from Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu. The impressive presence of Alex Bregman, who became the first player since 1979 to have at least two hits (including one extra-base hit) in each of his last six games at Fenway Park. The revitalized crowd.
It was all worth prioritizing the here and the now.
"I couldn't sleep last night," Bregman admitted. "I don't know if it was just the travel or whatever, maybe the excitement, but hopefully go home and get a good night's sleep tonight."
“Love it," Cora said. "We’ve got a good team, and I think the fans are responding to it. We’ve just got to keep working hard and make this a real tough environment for the opposition.”
