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Times are tough in Boston, but yesterday Red Sox fans were able to cheer on former players who came to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the first game played at Fenway Park.
Former Sox and Expos pitcher Pedro Martinez was among the former stars and spoke out about the recent roster moves made necessary by the team's poor performance since the start of the current season.
He said he was particularly saddened by the treatment of his former catcher and friend, Jason Varitek. Varitek was stripped of his title as coordinator for the Red Sox with the promise that he would take on another role later. The problem is that Varitek hasn't been given any new responsibilities since Alex Cora lost his job.
When people say that things are always done differently in Boston, here's another fine example.
Martinez and Varitek formed an effective battery during the seven seasons he spent with the team, and he has a lot of respect for the man who caught his pitches over the years. Martinez is still involved with the Sox and seems ready to take on more responsibilities.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner—who won the award in Montreal and twice while wearing a Red Sox uniform—also commented on the treatment of manager Alex Cora. In his view, Cora will easily find work in the majors, but he needs to take some time for himself in the meantime.
Pedro Martinez was disappointed not to see his longtime battery mate Jason Varitek at Fenway on Friday night.
“Tek means so much to this city.”
Martinez also said he's spoken to Alex Cora. Read for freehttps://t.co/X4jRt1nzbw
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) May 9, 2026
Yesterday, Martinez was joined by Carl Yastrzemski, Wade Boggs, Carlton Fisk, David Ortiz, and Jim Rice as the team marked a significant milestone, but the fans' hearts weren't necessarily in the right place for a celebration.
The team took advantage of the presence of its legendary figures to secure a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, their division rivals. The Sox's victory now puts them tied for last place in the American League East with the Baltimore Orioles. Both teams have a 17-22 record since the start of the season.
LEGENDS in the house at Fenway Park
The @RedSox celebrated the 125th anniversary of their first-ever home game by having all living alumni with retired numbers deliver a ceremonial first pitch
pic.twitter.com/ZYkUXEcl13
— MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2026
It seems like Pedro is everywhere these days. On April 25, he made an appearance at the Expos Fest event in Laval, where a film crew was capturing his every move to produce a documentary on his career. The Dominican is very active and doesn't hesitate to speak his mind, just as he used to do back when he was terrorizing opposing batters.
The Red Sox have their work cut out for them if they want to climb the standings. Perhaps the presence of all these big names yesterday will instill a healthy dose of pride in the current iteration of this legendary franchise. The team's performance in 2026 isn't exactly something to brag about, let's face it, and leaving a guy like Jason Varitek out in the cold certainly doesn't help the current front office's case.
The last time the Sox won anything, guys like him didn't hesitate to bleed their noses to win games. A little respect, please!
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