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Fan at Tropicana Field makes Red Sox negotiate for Triston Casas’ first home run ball
"I never thought I’d be in this position."
Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas hit his first MLB home run on Tuesday, launching a pitch from Garrett Cleavinger into the right-field seats.
The homer traveled 371 feet — just 96.1 mph off Casas’ bat with a 36-degree launch angle.
Here’s a look at the blast.
Casas was a highly anticipated prospect who recorded his first hit in his major-league debut on Sunday.
The real drama, however, began after Casas’ homer when the Red Sox began bartering with the fan in right field who came up with the ball, hoping to acquire the little piece of history for their talented prospect. The NESN broadcast showed the negotiations repeatedly, commenting (and chuckling) over the state of what appeared to be a lively conversation between the fan and a Red Sox official.
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Eventually, NESN tracked down the fan who spoke to Jahmai Webster about the lucky moment. Per the fan, he was eating chicken wings and dropped his phone in the row ahead of him. The fan then scrambled into the row to grab his phone when Casas ripped the ball. The fan looked up when he heard everyone cheering, then came up with the ball when it came right to him.
“I’m getting a signed bat by the player who hit it,” the fan said.
“Triston Casas?” Webster offered helpfully.
“Okay,” the fan answered.
The final accepted offer from the Red Sox included bat signed by Casas and a baseball signed by both Xander Bogaerts and a player whose name the fan didn’t recognize. That second player appeared to be Rafael Devers — the NESN broadcast later panned to the clubhouse, where the negotiating Red Sox official could be seen collecting signatures from both Bogaerts and Devers.
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“I never thought I’d be in this position,” the fan told Webster. “I just made them make me an offer.”
Casas struck out in his second plate appearance. The Red Sox trailed the Rays 7-2 after six innings.
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