Steve Pearce was acquired by the Boston Red Sox in a trade from the Toronto Blue Jays. The former bluebird was sent to Boston for cash and prospect Santiago Espinal. It is no secret that the Red Sox looked to add depth into their roster as they already had Mitch Moreland playing first. Little did they know Pierce would turn carbon into diamonds later in the year.
A Rolling Stone
The 35-year-old has had a strange path his career up until getting traded from Toronto. Pearce played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2007 to 2011. He enjoyed little to no success with the Pirates organization, as he appeared in only 182 games, drove in 52 runs and batted for a lackluster average of .232. He had a three-year stint with the Baltimore Orioles as well. Other than that, Pearce was more of a trading tool rather than an actual player on the team. The outfielder went from Baltimore to Houston, to the Yankees, the Rays and lastly, the Blue Jays. Pearce traveled coast to coast without any substantial success or luck. That all changed in a matter of months.
Joining The Tea Party
The Red Sox were a different story for Pearce. For starters, he became part of a collective unit that only cared about winning from the very start of the season instead of looking at the bottom of the division. Ha added even more experience to an already solid base of players like Ian Kinsler, J.D. Martinez, David Price and Mookie Betts. He made the best out of what he got despite not being a starter on neither the outfield nor the first bag. The Florida native hit seven home runs, batted 26 runs in and batted for an average of .279. All that in just 50 ballgames. Nonetheless, his value to the organization would even more evident at the grandest stage in baseball.
Pearce’s Midnight Ride
Despite his regular season contributions, Pearce shined the most once the Red Sox made it to the World Series. That was denoted by the World Series MVP award and a brand new truck to his name at the end of Game 6. He not only helped the Red Sox win a championship, but he also started the revolution that carried them to it. In just a couple of games he turned himself into the 21st Century version of Paul Revere.
If you re watch the 2018 World Series you will once again see the exact moment in which the series take 360 degree turn in favor of the Red Sox. It was Pearce’s game 4 that turned a “tight series” into “Boston’s series”. He homered off Kenley Jansen in the top of the eighth. He later emptied the bases in the ninth with a three RBI double to give Boston a key victory. Steve finished what he started a night later as he homered twice to clinch the Red Sox first championship since 2013.
Here To Stay?
One question remains for him despite his unbelievable postseason: Will Steve Pearce play for the Red Sox next year? The answer to that question is unknown, although it will most like find an answer once free agency begins in early November. Regardless or wheter he stays or leaves Boston, he will be remembered as something more than another clutch postseason performer. From now on, Steve Pearce is and, will forever be considered a revolutionary. He did not throw tea boxes into the Boston Harbor, much less did he make silver spoons or rode a horse in the middle of the night. What he did do was turn an outstanding team into an offensive machine that rolled over their opponent when that was most needed. Pearce turned a baseball town upside down and guided the Red Sox to a well deserved championship.
What a midnight ride.