Drew Pomeranz’s three-year tenure with the Boston Red Sox probably isn’t one that he looks back on fondly.
He was traded to Boston during the 2016 MLB All-Star break, where he pitched for the National League. Over the next 2.5 years, Pomeranz recorded a 4.24 ERA but was kept from pitching during the Red Sox’s 2018 postseason run on their way to a World Series championship.
Despite not actually stepping on the mound, Pomeranz recently revealed that he helped his teammates during practice prepare for the Los Angeles Dodgers by mimicking Clayton Kershaw’s pitches and delivery.
“I was not on any playoff rosters,” Pomeranz told Rob Bradford. “I was there for everything, but I was still throwing because they told us to keep throwing in case someone gets hurt or whatever. Right before the series, Kershaw was pitching the first day, and I was there playing catch, and I told our hitting coach and maybe [manager Alex Cora] or somebody else. I was like ‘Hey, I know Kershaw’s pitching tomorrow if anyone wants to face what it would be like to face Kershaw I can throw to whoever wants to. I’ll slow my curveball down and make it a little bigger. I’ll try and throw my cutter like the way he pitches.’ I was like ‘I can try to replicate what he does so tomorrow, whenever, if they want to get an extra look.’
“And, I kinda just threw that out there because we all have a role. I wasn’t even playing, so I’m like ‘What can I do to help?’ I think I mentioned it, and I’m pretty sure one through nine, the entire lineup came out there, and I threw like 50 pitches. Some guys were swinging. Some guys would stand and just watch. I literally slowed my curveball down. I was trying to throw exactly like Kershaw. I was trying to lift my leg and even do the whole thing, and I literally threw 50 pitches. I think everybody got looks or a couple at-bats or something. And, I’m pretty sure that’s kinda how I got on the roster.”
That’s a very cool moment.
Boston went on to score five runs on seven hits and three walks over Kershaw’s four innings of work. They won Game 1 by a final score of 8-4.
Then, facing him in the clincher, Kershaw gave up four runs on seven hits, as the Red Sox hoisted the World Series trophy for the fourth time this century.
