Jonny Gomes already knew how hard winning a World Series would be. He’d lost with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008 and wasn’t sure he’d ever get another chance.
Then, when he was with the Oakland Athletics in 2012, he realized what winning one would actually mean.
“It was their 40-year anniversary of ’72 and they just wheeled these dudes out,” Gomes said. “It sunk in that winning a title is forever.”
Now, Gomes and his 2013 Red Sox teammates are living out “forever” themselves.
On Sunday the 2013 club reunited at Fenway Park to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their World Series championship season. Before the game players and their families were invited to throw batting practice on the field to their kids, play catch in the outfield and tour the inside of the Green Monster. The team was also honored during a pregame ceremony, during which a 2013 World Series championship banner was unfurled across the entire left field wall.
The ceremony also coincided with the 10-year anniversary of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, which galvanized the team and the city and helped deepen the bond shared between the two.
“I think when you look back, the emotion and the energy that team played with throughout the course of the year, no doubt they fed off the energy that was in here and their relationship with the fans,” said John Farrell, who managed the Red Sox between 2013-17. “I don’t think there’s any team over 162 games that can maintain that level of energy and we were able to do it because of what was happening here, a reminder every night in the ballpark.”
Coming off a last-place finish and not considered a championship contender entering the season, the 2013 quickly exceeded expectations and went on to become one of the most beloved teams in franchise history. Between their beards, city pride and unmistakable camaraderie, the club connected with fans in a special way and it didn’t take long before everyone realized something special was brewing.
Jake Peavy, who joined the team at the trade deadline, reflected in a recent interview about how when he first walked into the Red Sox clubhouse Gomes greeted him by saying, “I’m doing great Peavs, one day closer to the parade.” Farrell said statements like that had become commonplace by mid-summer, and Gomes said he knew early on that team had everything it needed to win it all.
“Right out of the gate, I challenged everyone in spring training to start growing out their playoff beards,” Gomes said. “I was like, ‘we’re not going to have the five o’clock shadow when we make the playoffs, we’re going to have full-grown beards.’ ”
Despite coming off such a rough 2012 season, the pieces were unmistakably in place for a bounce back campaign. The 2013 Red Sox featured future Hall of Famer David Ortiz, All-Stars like Dustin Pedroia and Jon Lester, accomplished veterans like Shane Victorino, Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Napoli, and what proved to be a lights out bullpen headlined by closer Koji Uehara.
“That group is special for me because it was my first year here in Boston,” said Brock Holt, who will run the Boston Marathon with his wife on Monday. “I was a young player just coming up to the big leagues, so to get to be around a veteran group like that and to be able to watch them work and watch them succeed was huge for me in my career.”
The 2013 club wound up being something of an outlier, as the Red Sox would go on to finish last the following two seasons. Much of the group was traded, left in free agency or retired in the years immediately following the championship, but 10 years later it was like they’d never parted at all.
“Whatever has sped up time, whether it’s COVID or whatever, the 10 years have gone in a flash,” Farrell said. “To be able to come back and see guys who we shared so many special moments, I don’t know if there will ever be a group quite like that assembled again, just a great group to be with.”
The Red Sox pitching staff took another hit on Sunday as top setup man Chris Martin was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Triple-A right-hander Jake Faria is being called up to take his spot, and fellow righty Wyatt Mills (right elbow inflammation) is being moved from the 15 to the 60-day IL to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
Signed as a free agent this past offseason, Martin was brought in to help lead the club’s new-look bullpen and had gotten off to a strong start. Martin had a 2.57 ERA through his first seven appearances, tallying five scoreless outings and three holds.
Faria has four seasons of big league experience, most recently appearing in 23 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2021. He spent last season with Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate and had allowed six runs through his first three appearances in Worcester this spring.
Another roster move is expected Monday when RHP Brayan Bello is activated for his Patriots Day morning start.