The Boston Red Sox traveled to the Dominican Republic for two exhibition games against the Tampa Bay Rays, starting on Saturday.
These games served as a break from spring training and marked the beginning of the MLB World Tour in 2024. The Red Sox fielded a team with several Dominican-born players, and one of them made a memorable impact.
Enmanuel Valdez came up to bat and hit a solo home run that cleared the foul pole in right field, helping to extend Boston’s lead in the sixth inning of what would be a 4-0 victory for the Red Sox.
Y tiene swing
Y baila swing
Y goza swing
¡Qué lindo SWING, SWING, SWING! pic.twitter.com/wBiNMnUHoY— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 9, 2024
Enmanuel Valdez's HR in Spanish! 🔥 #RedSox pic.twitter.com/M8Xu5i56jL
— NESN (@NESN) March 10, 2024
The infielder, a native of San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, showcased his skills on Saturday night. Valdez, who saw sporadic action at second base last season, posted a .266 batting average with six home runs in 49 games. Red Sox manager Alex Cora has praised both Valdez and Wilyer Abreu, who were acquired in a trade with the Houston Astros in 2022.
With Vaughn Grissom dealing with a groin injury this spring, the 24-year-old Valdez could find himself in the lineup on Opening Day.
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