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The 2018 Boston Red Sox are considered one of the best teams of all time, but it didn’t happen without a concerted effort to keep chemistry high — and apparently, player safety.
Brock Holt, a member of that team, hopped on the Red Sox’s “Section 10” podcast to discuss Rafael Devers’ release from Boston, which turned into a conversation about clubhouse chemistry.
Holt said the 2018 team “had a guy or two” who caused problems in the clubhouse and were quickly released.
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Brock Holt of the Boston Red Sox runs to first base on his one-out double to left field during the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2018 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
One of them, whose identity is still officially anonymous, allegedly threatened to shoot and kill members of the team.
“We were in Tampa and we formed a circle that stretched before [batting practice]and have a good old time,” Holt began. “And this someone looks around at all of us and says, ‘You know what? I’m going to take a gun into the field tomorrow and kill you all.
“And then he looks me straight in the eye and says, ‘And you’ll be the first.'”
Holt said he told the player that he “[knew] you’re probably joking, but you can’t say that.
Brock Holt of the Boston Red Sox celebrates with his son after his team’s 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Kvork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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The Red Sox won 108 games and beat the New York Yankees and the defending champion Houston Astros before defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Fall Classic.
This team was mired in minor controversy, however, as it was found that at times the team “used game feeds in the replay room” to decode sign sequences while a runner was on second base. The sign stealing was not known to manager Alex Cora, the Red Sox coaching staff, the Red Sox front office or “most of the players.”
Brock Holt of the Boston Red Sox reacts to second base after hitting a one-out double to left field during the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2018 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Red Sox and Cora parted ways for one season due to his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal the previous year when he was bench coach, but they brought him back after a year.
