BOSTON -- A feeling of nostalgia filled the Fenway Park air on Thursday night as the great Pedro Martínez threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Hispanic Heritage Night.
It should be noted, however, that Martínez made another pitch of sorts back on May 8, when he proclaimed the Red Sox -- who were off to a staggering start that led to the dismissal of manager Alex Cora a couple of weeks earlier -- could roar right back into the postseason picture.
More than four months later, while the Red Sox were in the midst of a 1-0 loss to the Guardians, Martínez stood in the same area behind the press box and expressed pride in the accuracy of his prediction.
“I just spoke to you about the history you witnessed [back in 2004],” said Martínez, reflecting on his words back in May. “We went through hell to actually become who we were in baseball. We really suffered before we became the Red Sox that everybody knows now.”
That night in May, Martínez pleaded for this team to fight like that, because that’s what the sporting public of Boston deserved.
“I just said there should be a culture that tells them you need to fight. You need to make your way back to what we were. And I said it clearly and I trusted it, and I said this team is known to go through struggles and survive and make it [back] again,” said Martínez. “And that's exactly what's happening. “
Starting on June 25, the Red Sox did the regular-season version of what the ‘04 team did in October, roaring to an overpowering 32-5 run that was the key to the team clinching a postseason berth on Sept. 20.
Martínez, who still works for the Red Sox in addition to his job as an analyst for TBS, loved every minute of watching the summer surge of the ‘26 Sox.
“Now what was discussed inside of the offices and how we went about our business in the office, I'm not going to discuss with you guys. But I'm extremely proud to have let you know on time that this team was going to make it back,” Martínez said. “And today we can proudly say we're in [the playoffs]. Nobody knows what we might do, and I'm extremely positive about it, and I think we can do something special.”
Making the upcoming postseason more special for Martínez is that another Red Sox-Yankees matchup is on the verge of looming, though Boston needs one more victory (or one more White Sox loss) to make the matchup official.
“We just showed it in that series [from June 25-28] when we swept them [in four games] what we are capable of. So let's just do that,” Martínez said. “I'm not saying they're gonna sweep them or what they’re going to do.”
That best-of-three series between the rivals would start on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. It would be a rematch of last year’s Wild Card Series, which the Yankees won in three games.
Martínez remembers what it was like to lose the ‘03 ALCS in seven games, only to come back the next year with the self-proclaimed band of “Idiots” and come back from an 0-3 series deficit to beat the Bombers in seven.
“I just feel good about approaching the Yankees this time around. And [the Red Sox] are young, yes. We don't have the highest expectations about them, but man, for some reason, I just feel so positive,” said Martínez. “I just feel so excited that this young group of guys that we have out there are able to do something special. I don't see anything wrong with these kids, and I don't see why they shouldn't give everybody knuckles. Not just the Yankees, but everybody.”
Considering how well Martínez’s last prediction played out, Red Sox Nation will undoubtedly take heart in the three-time Cy Young Award winner’s latest burst of public optimism.