BOSTON — 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 Fenway’s 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.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” noted Sean Burke, a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher from Sutton, following his start in Chicago’s 8-4 victory on Sunday. “I’ve known these guys even before we joined the White Sox,” Burke reflected. “Having the chance to meet here and do this together over the weekend is truly something special.”
Burke’s ties to Mike Vasil run deep, having faced off against him in high school. Vasil, a 25-year-old reliever from Wellesley, pitched in Saturday’s walk-off nail-biter. “It’s really something unique,” Vasil remarked. “Experiences like this don’t happen often. My journey may not have been as tumultuous as others’, but it’s definitely a full-circle moment. Growing up as a fan of the team and returning here feels incredibly special.”
Jared Shuster, a 26-year-old left-handed reliever from New Bedford, was called up after Friday’s series opener. Saturday saw him secure four outs, marking his first action on Fenway soil despite having visited as a major leaguer before. “The timing couldn’t have been better,” he shared. “This is a trip I’ve been hoping to make. It’s 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.”
Shane Smith, a 25-year-old from Danvers, started Saturday’s 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. “That means a lot,” Smith expressed emotionally. “To pitch at Fenway, especially with my family in the stands, adds to the whole experience.”
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. “When I was little, she’d babysit me,” he reminisced. “She’d have me on the couch, rolling baseballs to me to throw back when I was just a toddler.”
Sunday’s game saw Burke’s grandmother, a lifelong Red Sox fan, don a White Sox jersey in support. “She was loyal today,” Burke said with a smile, cherishing the weekend’s enduring significance.