Jamie Westbrook has spent the last 11 seasons playing professional baseball, since being drafted by his hometown Diamondbacks in 2013. He played independent ball in Mexico, and in Texas during the pandemic. He played the outfield for the US at the Tokyo Olympics.
Mostly, he wound his way through affiliates of Arizona, the Brewers, the Tigers, the Yankees, and, most recently, the Red Sox, working for his chance. On Saturday, the 28-year-old got the call he’s been waiting for his entire life. Westbrook, his wife Denise, and 7-month-old son Emmett were on a flight out of Charlotte, N.
C., two hours later, bound for Boston and the big leagues. Advertisement “It was nuts, man,” Westbrook said in the clubhouse after an 8-4, 10-inning loss to the Tigers.
Westbrook made his debut in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 4-4 game, pinch hitting for Wilyer Abreu with two on and two out. He took a called strike, then four consecutive balls to load the bases. “Obviously, we had a chance to win the game there, so I was thinking, ‘Have a good at-bat,’ " he said.
“It was really cool, man. Honestly, the crowd was loud when I got to 3-1 and kind of had to refocus, but it was awesome.” After Connor Wong flew out, Westbrook remained in the game and played right field in the 10th.
Putting in Westbrook was a move manager Alex Cora said he “visualized” the inning before. “It was a great at-bat, and he will do that. He will do that,” Cora said.
“There’s a guy, he finds a ba.
