Jeter Downs shared a humorous story involving his namesake, Derek Jeter
"So, listen to this."
One of the newest members of the Red Sox was actually named after a Yankees legend.
But as Jeter Downs — named for former Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter — recently admitted, he hasn’t actually met the newly elected Hall of Famer in person.
He came close earlier in February, thanks to a car horn.
“So, listen to this,” Downs began while answering questions from reporters. “I’ve never met the man, but this last week me and my brother were driving to go train. My brother — we’re in traffic — he sees this Range Rover pulling up. He’s like, ‘Oh my God, is that Jeter?’ So then he honks and I wave at him.”
So has @jeter2downs actually met the player he was named after? pic.twitter.com/5E1DDFBuJM
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) February 12, 2020
Downs’s brother, Jerry, is also a player in the Red Sox organization. The two have been training together in preparation for the upcoming 2020 season.
“I was going to train with Raul Ibanez,” Downs continued. “So then I called Raul. I was like, ‘Tell Jeter that the kid that was waving at him is Jeter.’ So then he told him that and it was pretty cool that I met him, and now look.”
Still, Downs has yet to actually meet Jeter face to face, though they spoke over FaceTime recently as well.
“A couple days later, the Marlins had an event at Topgolf. One of my friends was there,” Downs explained. “He FaceTimed me with Jeter on the phone. We talked for like two minutes. It was [surreal]. I’ve idolized him my whole life. It was finally good to meet him and talk to him a little bit. It was definitely special.”
Downs was recently sent to the Red Sox as part of the blockbuster trade that shipped Mookie Betts to the Dodgers along with David Price (Boston will pay for half of Price’s remaining $96 million salary). In return, the Red Sox got outfielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Connor Wong, and Downs.
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