FORT MYERS, Fla. — When Nolan Arenado took the sphere for pregame warmups forward of Tuesday night time’s Purple Sox exhibition vs. Puerto Rico, the long run Corridor of Fame third baseman crossed paths with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and supervisor Alex Cora, shaking their arms and holding a quick dialog with every.
For a fast second, it was a take a look at what may need been.
Lengthy considered as a possible commerce goal for the Purple Sox towards the tip of his tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals, Arenado was lastly dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks this previous January, ending a two-year saga because the Cardinals appeared to kickstart their rebuilding effort.
All through that point the Purple Sox have been considered as a logical touchdown spot, however whereas the membership finally opted to pursue Alex Bregman, Arenado acknowledged the considered enjoying for Boston crossed his thoughts.
And extra particularly, the considered being reunited along with his former Colorado Rockies teammate Trevor Story.
“Yeah it did, a number of instances, however every part occurs for a motive. Nothing is finished till it’s achieved,” Arenado stated. “Clearly enjoying with Story would have been wonderful. That’s my boy. I had loads of nice time enjoying with him for nearly eight years, but it surely’s a part of the sport.”
An eight-time All-Star and a 10-time Gold Glove winner, Arenado is extensively considered as one of many biggest defensive third basemen in historical past and for a few years was an elite offensive performer. The 34-year-old has a profession .282 common with 353 residence runs, 1,184 RBI and an .846 OPS, and he has additionally received 5 Silver Sluggers, most just lately in 2022.
However just lately Arenado’s manufacturing has tailed off, and final season he batted simply .237 with a .666 OPS in solely 107 video games, the fewest he’s ever performed in a 162-game season.
Arenado stated that whereas he was conscious the Cardinals have been seeking to commerce him, he was by no means certain how shut he got here to touchdown in Boston.
“I don’t know, I actually don’t know, you by no means know with these issues,” Arenado stated. “You simply hear issues, you speak to your agent and also you hear the various things, however I actually do not know how shut it actually was.”
Arenado wound up being dealt to the Diamondbacks in trade for 22-year-old pitching prospect Jack Martinez. He referred to as becoming a member of the D-Backs “a brand new chapter,” albeit one he was comfortable to placed on pause when the chance to play for Puerto Rico within the World Baseball Basic offered itself.
“I anticipated to go residence and simply have a traditional spring coaching, after which I used to be really hitting in St. Louis and Martin Maldonado was catching and he requested me, ‘Hey would you be fascinated with enjoying first base?’” stated Arenado, who has beforehand performed for Workforce USA within the WBC. “I used to be like I don’t know man, let me take into consideration that.
“Then I talked to (Puerto Rico supervisor Yadier Molina) and clearly I believed (Francisco) Lindor and (Carlos) Correa have been going to be right here so I used to be like, ‘I’ll play first, you realize? Why not? It’d be superior.’ My household was enthusiastic about it, so clearly all of these issues modified, however like I stated, I’m simply grateful that they requested me, it’s an honor.”
With Lindor and Correa amongst many notable gamers who have been unable to get insurance coverage approval to play, Arenado was at his regular third base spot when Puerto Rico and the Purple Sox took the sphere underneath the lights in entrance of an brisk, closely pro-Puerto Rico crowd. Puerto Rico went on to win 5-3.
And whereas Puerto Rico isn’t thought-about a favourite in comparison with the loaded groups being fielded by the USA, Dominican Republic and Japan, Arenado thinks his group may shock a number of folks.
“I feel now we have higher pitching than what most individuals assume,” Arenado stated. “Our lineup is stable, loads of good hitters, we will run and I feel we will catch the ball. We’ve obtained loads of work to do however we’re going to be robust, this staff is at all times robust and now we have loads of nice coaches which can be going to assist us out. So we’re going to present it every part we obtained and we’ll see what occurs.”
Groups fascinated with Vazquez
One Puerto Rican participant in Fort Myers this week who Purple Sox followers know nicely is Christian Vazquez. The longtime Purple Sox catcher, who spent 9 seasons with the membership between 2014-22, is again with Workforce Puerto Rico for his second World Baseball Basic after beforehand representing the island territory in 2023.
Vazquez additionally stays a free agent after spending the final three seasons with the Minnesota Twins, although he stated he’s gotten curiosity from golf equipment and expects to signal quickly.
“Yeah now we have a few groups so I’m not apprehensive about that,” Vazquez stated. “I’ve obtained a pair years extra in my tank and it feels good, my physique’s in good condition, arm’s good.”
A two-time World Sequence champion, the 35-year-old had a tricky season on the plate in 2025, batting .189 with a .545 OPS in 65 video games. Vazquez did carry out higher within the Puerto Rican Winter League, nonetheless, batting .295 with eight walks in opposition to solely 4 strikeouts in 13 video games.
Bennett struggles
Taking part in a uncommon spring night time recreation, Purple Sox pitching prospect Jake Bennett obtained the beginning and had a tricky time in opposition to the Puerto Rican bats.
Bennett recorded solely two outs over components of two innings and was charged with three runs on 4 hits with one stroll. The 25-year-old allowed a leadoff single, drew a groundout and gave up two extra singles, threw two wild pitches and allowed a stroll earlier than being pulled with one out within the first.
He then returned to begin the second however didn’t fare any higher, permitting one other single, hitting a batter with a pitch and drawing a fly out earlier than incomes the hook for good.
Bennett threw 35 pitches, 19 for strikes. Former Purple Sox prospect Elmer Rodriguez, who the membership traded to get Carlos Narvaez, began for Puerto Rico and allowed one hit over three scoreless innings.
Clean fielding
Marcelo Mayer and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each made some slick performs within the subject. Beginning at second base, Mayer had one play the place he scooped the ball and flipped it along with his glove to Kiner-Falefa at first to nail Arenado to finish the highest of the second. Then shortly afterward, Kiner-Falefa leapt as much as corral a excessive throw from Story, and he later turned a powerful 3-2 double play, forcing out MJ Melendez at first earlier than gunning down Luis Vazquez on the plate.
Developing subsequent
Garrett Crochet will make his second begin of the spring Wednesday when the Purple Sox host the New York Yankees at JetBlue Park. Justin Slaten, Payton Tolle, Tayron Guerrero and Noah Track are slated to pitch for Boston as nicely, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m ET.
