Braiden Ward has never played Major League Baseball.
The Boston Red Sox could be bold and look to change that during their American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees.
Ward, 27, was summoned from the team’s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla. to join them at Yankee Stadium on Monday — serving as the only player that wasn’t previously with the team to join them before postseason rosters are finalized on Tuesday.
Ward has spent each of the last six seasons in the minor leagues but has never been as close to being called up as he is now, with the idea being that he could provide a spark as a pinch-runner.
The Red Sox haven’t made him any promises, but it is a good sign that he was chosen to make the trip over the likes of top prospect Franklin Arias, lefty killer Romy Gonzalez, and defensive wiz Tsung-Che Cheng.
“They told me yesterday I was going to come hang out with the boys,” Ward told MassLive’s Sean McAdam. “They didn’t know if I’m on the roster yet; still don’t know if I’m on the roster yet. So as of right now, I’m just here for the vibes. Hopefully, we find out when (reporters) find out and get to do something cool.
“It’s like a dream; it’s a fever dream. One day, I’m in Worcester, the next day I’m in Florida, the next day I’m at the nicest hotel I’ve ever stayed at, in New York City, with the greatest view, the greatest team and getting to hopefully play in the greatest rivalry and hopefully this year we can turn the tide and win this one.”
Ward, who was obtained in a trade with the Colorado Rockies in November, spent the season with Triple-A Worcester where he set a franchise record by going 61-for-70 on stolen bases attempts across 109 games while playing the outfield and second base, all while slashing .251/.364/.373.
“Obviously, they’re really good at holding guys. It’s a professional team. It’s the Yankees, it’s the major leagues. But like I said, I’ve practiced this entire year, hopefully for this moment,” Ward said. “So if I get the chance, if I get put the roster, hopefully I can do it. And if not, I’ll be right here saying, ‘Let’s go boys!’ ”
Boston’s decision could be made easier by the season-ending injury to outfielder Eli White — who was acquired at the trade deadline for that very reason — and and awful season by outfielder Jarren Duran — who had the worst qualified batting average in team history this season.
If he does make the roster, there will almost certainly be a point in which he’s asked to go create a run amind chaos at Yankee Stadium. Quite different from a game in the middle of June in Rochester, N.Y.
