NEW YORK – Lots of the males who returned quietly to the guests clubhouse at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night time wasted no time showering, becoming their journey garments and packing their luggage.
Not Alex Bregman, although. Because the room emptied out, he sat in entrance of his locker, in uniform, till after 11:35 p.m.
His postseason streak had continued right into a ninth consecutive yr, however solely simply.
“Keep in mind this sense,” Bregman mentioned he instructed his teammates, “as a result of it sucks. You don’t need to really feel it. Take it into your offseason, proceed to get higher. I believe you possibly can look across the room and say that each single participant on this locker room received higher because the yr went on, and there’s no steps again now. It’s solely steps ahead.”
Throughout the clubhouse, Trevor Story shared in his ache, however for various causes. After years of accidents and October-less finishes, this was the comeback season for which he had fought so exhausting. He had confirmed that he was nonetheless top-of-the-line all-around shortstops within the sport, and the Pink Sox had lastly accomplished a successful season and clinched a postseason berth.
“Individually, team-wise, there’s a number of good that occurred through the season,” mentioned Story. “My pleasure for the sport undoubtedly got here again this yr, and clearly (I’ve) been by lots the previous few years. This was essentially the most enjoyable I’ve had enjoying baseball.”
Six days later, their first playoff run in 4 years was over after three video games. Within the coming days, the Pink Sox will scatter to their offseason properties, however with unfinished enterprise hanging over their heads like a thick veil.
“This one stings, man,” Story mentioned, matter of factly. “You simply need to preserve enjoying, man. I like our teammates, I like every thing we received going. You simply don’t need to say bye to the blokes and go on to the offseason.”
Two of the group’s most revered veteran leaders, Bregman and Story every expressed confidence that the Pink Sox are on the suitable path.
“The longer term’s brilliant,” mentioned Bregman. “Clearly, this sucks proper now. That is brutal. We envisioned successful (Recreation 3) and making a deep run, however pleased with the struggle on this room, pleased with the blokes. It was an honor to placed on this jersey.”
“It’s a number of expertise for younger guys and veteran guys, too. That’s exhausting to search out,” mentioned Story. “I believe it’s a constructing block for what we need to do within the years to return… It appears like we took a step this season in the suitable approach from all totally different elements of our group… There’s lots to be pleased with this yr. And one thing we will construct on.”
But whether or not they are going to be right here for what comes subsequent stays to be seen. Each have opt-outs this offseason.
Requested if he might envision being part of the Pink Sox sooner or later, Bregman mentioned, “In fact. Um, I’m not even interested by that in any respect proper now. I’m interested by the sport that simply occurred.”
“It’s not on the prime of thoughts, I’m not going to talk on that proper now,” mentioned Story, “however you already know I got here right here to be right here for a very long time.”
Story additionally made it clear that making certain Bregman stays in Boston ought to be on the prime of the entrance workplace’s to-do checklist.
“You noticed the affect that he had on this group, on the sphere, off the sphere, leadership-wise, all of it, man,” mentioned Story. “And he’s a particular participant, he’s a particular thoughts, and hopefully we will preserve him for a very long time… I believe it’s an enormous precedence.”
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