Of the many unforgettable moments from the 2018 World Series, Eduardo Rodriguez slamming his glove to the ground after surrounding a home run to Yasiel Puig is near the top of the list.
Obviously, all ended up well for Rodriguez and the Red Sox, with Alex Cora's team coming back after that Game 4 homer. But don't think for a second the instance hasn't embedded itself into the Sox' starter's psyche.
It's why the glove that was heaved at the mound that night still resides in a prominent place at Rodriguez's home.
"I still have it," said Rodriguez while appearing on the Red Sox Radio Network's "2 Minute Grill" segment. "I want to see Yasiel Puig and make him sign it for me. I swear to God, that's why I have it. I have it at home next to everything from the World Series. I really want to see if I can find him one day and make him sign it."
Another question: How hard did he throw that glove?
"Probably the hardest I've ever thrown in my life, like 98 or 99," Rodriguez said with a chuckle.
The lefty can look back at that Oct. 27 night with satisfaction and a smile considering how well he pitched up until the Puig homer. Rodriguez hadn't allowed a single run over his 5 2/3 innings up until the blast.
It was such a solid outing that it actually was put in a special classification by Rodriguez. It was, as he noted on the segment (as a tip of the hat to verbiage previously used by teammate Christian Vazquez), the sexiest he has ever felt on a baseball field.
"That's the stage everybody wants to be, so for me that was the sexiest I've ever felt on the mound," he said.
To hear the entire "2 Minute Grill" interview with Rodriguez, tune into the Red Sox Radio Network Pregame Show starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday prior to the Sox' tilt with the Blue Jays.