WORCESTER — Jamie Westbrook always knew that he was good enough to be a major league baseball player. It was a feeling that didn’t leave him as he labored through 11 professional seasons and 1,159 minor league games.
Westbrook’s feeling was proven right earlier this month, when he made his major league debut with the Red Sox. Now, even though Westbrook is back in Triple-A for the time being, he feels that a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.
“I think the biggest takeaway was that the feeling that I had in my gut that I was a major league player was true,” Westbrook said in the Polar Park dugout on Wednesday. “To have that validation, have it be solidified, not just believing it, but it actually being fact, has made all of the journey completely worth it.”
And what a journey that past two and a half weeks have been. On June 2, Westbrook got the news he was headed to the show. He hopped on a FaceTime call with his parents, who were shopping in Kohl’s at the time.
“My dad’s like, “what’s wrong? What’s wrong?” because I was crying. I’m like, “I’m going to the big leagues,” Westbrook recalled. “They just started running out of the store, it was nuts. I got on a flight that night. You always envision how that call is gonna go and who you’re gonna be with and whatnot. That was a cool moment.”
Westbrook got thrown into the fire right away, pinch-hitting in the ninth inning of a tie game with two outs and two on. He drew a five-pitch walk.
A few days later, Westbrook collected his first MLB hit, a pinch-hit line-drive single. He gave that first hit ball to his mom, Jen, who is battling breast cancer and is currently in remission.
“She’s been my sounding board through the good and the bad,” Westbrook said of his mother. “The struggles I’ve had throughout my career, she’s always the call I have to make to get me back on track…or remind me how good my life truly is, regardless of how baseball’s going. She’s my rock. I couldn’t have done this without both of my parents, but especially my mom.”
The very next day, Westbrook barreled one up and sent it over the left-center field wall in Chicago for his first MLB home run. He still has that ball; he’s been carrying it with him, and is planning on giving it to his dad, Tony.
Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran, left, puts a medal around the neck of Jamie Westbrook after Westbrook’s home run off White Sox relief pitcher Jared Shuster during the seventh inning Thursday night in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)AP
Both his parents, as well as his wife, Denise, his young son, Emmett, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins were on hand for his debut. A group of about 25 people were making their way to Polar on Wednesday night as well to support Westbrook.
“We travel deep,” he said.
Westbrook’s family support has been crucial during his long journey to the majors. He talked about times where he wasn’t sure it was worth his mental well-being to keep pursuing his dream, even dealing with a period of depression a couple of years ago.
“I feel like every night you kind of get kicked in the teeth,” Westbrook said. “Even if you have a good game, you’re getting out a couple times, right? So especially with the career path I’ve had, it’s hard to keep showing up and keep going because you think like, “is this worth it?” Is it worth my mental sanity or my joy or happiness?”
Going to therapy regularly and getting into meditation have been a couple of the ways Westbrook learned to deal with the taxing mental demands of grinding through the minors.
“Practicing and doing all of that stuff has been really important for me to stay even-keeled and treat the game as a game,” he said. “And that’s what it is. We love the game but it’s not everything in this life. So that’s definitely kept me going.”
Now, Westbrook is in a new phase of his career. He returns to Polar Park in a different place; he’s on the 40-man roster now, and it might only be a matter of time until he’s back with the Red Sox, especially the way injuries have plagued the major-league team this year.
He said the last thing he wants to do is come back to Triple-A with a bad attitude, although it’s hard to imagine Westbrook complaining no matter where he’s playing. But the biggest difference is the “sense of freedom” that Westbrook feels after achieving so many of his goals in such a short time.
“Still in the back of my mind, I had this weight on my shoulders because I wanted it so bad,” Westbrook said. “I think is going be awesome to just enjoy playing and not stress out way too much, and to know [I’m] going to be fine and [I’m] good enough and all of those things that I’ve believed.”
WooSox 10, Clippers 4
Wilyer Abreu made it clear he’s ready to come back to the Red Sox’ lineup. He got things going for the WooSox in the first inning. In his second and likely last rehab game at Polar, Abreu launched a home run in his first at-bat, a 381-foot shot to left-center. He then did it again in the eighth inning, this time a 403-foot shot again to left-center.
Westbrook made his return to the Worcester lineup with a bang, putting together one of his best games of the season with a three-run home run, a two-run double and two walks as part of a five-RBI night. Nick Sogard added a triple and a double and scored two runs.
Starter Josh Winckowski kept a hot Clippers offense off the board, scattering six hits and two walks over six innings of work. He fanned four and threw 85 pitches, 53 of those strikes. The Columbus offense got to relievers Isaiah Campbell (1 2/3 innings, two runs on two hits and a walk) and Sal Romano (one-third of an inning, two runs, two hits and two walks).
Notes
– The Red Sox released reliever A.J. Politi on Wednesday. Politi struggled in 11 appearances this season to the tune of a 12.19 ERA with opposing batters hitting .364 against him. The righty was drafted by the Red Sox in 2018 and was promoted to Worcester in 2022. He pitched his way to high-leverage innings to the WooSox, posting a 2.41 in 56 innings in 2022. He had an up-and-down season in 2023 after nearly making the Orioles out of spring training (he was a Rule 5 selection who was returned) but logged 15 saves in 54 appearances.
What’s Next
Hall of Famer Jim Rice will make an appearance at Polar Park on Thursday, throwing out a first pitch and taking photos with fans in the Sherwoods Diner from innings 3-6. First pitch against the Clippers is at 6:45 p.m.
