Boston Red Sox
“As quickly as any person hits 20 house runs, I’m gonna give $20,000 to the Jimmy Fund.”
Alex Cora and the Purple Sox group are pleased with the additions made to the staff this previous offseason, and seem content material with the best way spring coaching has unfolded.
There are just a few query marks concerning the Opening Day roster and Boston’s beginning lineup, together with how the infield will finally shake out.
Nonetheless, Cora feels good in regards to the energy potential the 2026 Purple Sox have, which has been missing in recent times.
He feels so good that he dedicated to donate $20,000 to the Jimmy Fund as soon as a participant reaches the 20-home run threshold.
“I obtained one thing for you guys,” Cora stated throughout his look on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Present” Friday. “I all the time do a pledge for the Jimmy Fund, and I do know the ability factor is a theme in Boston. As quickly as any person hits 20 house runs, I’m gonna give $20,000 to the Jimmy Fund.”
“Are you severe?” Greg Hill requested.
“one hundred pc,” Cora replied. “That’s how positive we’re that we’re gonna have energy.”
The pledge can be Cora’s single largest public donation to the Jimmy Fund, a Boston-based group with robust Purple Sox ties that raises funds for most cancers care and analysis on the metropolis’s Dana-Farber Most cancers Institute.
In 2021, Boston’s skipper donated $113.13 for each win recorded by the membership. The Purple Sox gained 92 common season video games, totaling $10,407.96. Cora additionally donated $13 for every run Boston scored that season; the staff plated 829 runs, amounting to $10,777. The No. 13 theme coincides along with his jersey quantity, which has been 13 relationship again to his taking part in days.
In 2019, Cora auctioned off his 2018 “Wall Of Wins” for the Jimmy Fund. The photograph wall consisted of 119 photographs, one from every win of the Purple Sox’ historic World Sequence-winning season. The gallery was housed in his workplace all season lengthy to assist memorialize that memorable yr. It was valued at $300,000 earlier than bidding started.
As for this yr’s pledge, it will likely be fascinating to see which participant is the primary to hit 20 lengthy balls, and the way rapidly. Final season, solely two Purple Sox achieved the mark: Shortstop Trevor Story (25) and proper fielder Wilyer Abreu (22). Story hit his twentieth on Aug. 23, and Abreu hit his on July 20.
Rafael Devers solely hit 15 for Boston earlier than being traded in June, and third baseman Alex Bregman hit simply 18 as a result of being sidelined with a quad damage for almost two months.
Phenom outfielder Roman Anthony may very properly be the primary to hit 20 homers. Newcomer first baseman Willson Contreras has reached the mark six instances in his 10-year MLB profession. OF Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela every hit 16 in 2025, and catcher Carlos Narvaez hit 15 whereas coping with an ankle damage relationship again to the primary sequence of the season.
Get the newest Boston sports activities information
Obtain updates in your favourite Boston groups, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
