BOSTON โ Over the weekend, Fenway Park became a sentimental stage for a unique gathering of four Chicago White Sox pitchers, all of whom hailed from Massachusetts. This meeting marked their first time together at Fenway as teammates on a major league stage.
Within a span of just 24 hours, pitchers Sean Burke, Mike Vasil, Jared Shuster, and Shane Smith all took their debut turns on Fenwayโs historic mound. This was a poignant milestone for each of them, as they not only shared the state as their birthplace but also the experience of stepping onto that legendary field as major leaguers.
โItโs an incredible feeling,โ noted Sean Burke, a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher from Sutton, following his start in Chicagoโs 8-4 victory on Sunday. โIโve known these guys even before we joined the White Sox,โ Burke reflected. โHaving the chance to meet here and do this together over the weekend is truly something special.โ
Burkeโs ties to Mike Vasil run deep, having faced off against him in high school. Vasil, a 25-year-old reliever from Wellesley, pitched in Saturdayโs walk-off nail-biter. โItโs really something unique,โ Vasil remarked. โExperiences like this donโt happen often. My journey may not have been as tumultuous as othersโ, but itโs definitely a full-circle moment. Growing up as a fan of the team and returning here feels incredibly special.โ
Jared Shuster, a 26-year-old left-handed reliever from New Bedford, was called up after Fridayโs series opener. Saturday saw him secure four outs, marking his first action on Fenway soil despite having visited as a major leaguer before. โThe timing couldnโt have been better,โ he shared. โThis is a trip Iโve been hoping to make. Itโs not every day you find so many big leaguers from Massachusetts on the same team. It sends a message that anything is possible to those coming up behind us.โ
Shane Smith, a 25-year-old from Danvers, started Saturdayโs game, making it just his fourth start in the major leagues. The presence of his extended family in support made the moment all the more significant for him. โThat means a lot,โ Smith expressed emotionally. โTo pitch at Fenway, especially with my family in the stands, adds to the whole experience.โ
For Burke, the weekend held a special personal connection, as his grandmother Pam, who first introduced him to baseball, was there to see him pitch on the Fenway mound. โWhen I was little, sheโd babysit me,โ he reminisced. โSheโd have me on the couch, rolling baseballs to me to throw back when I was just a toddler.โ
Sundayโs game saw Burkeโs grandmother, a lifelong Red Sox fan, don a White Sox jersey in support. โShe was loyal today,โ Burke said with a smile, cherishing the weekendโs enduring significance.