Alex Bregman will stick with No. 2 as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
It’s the same jersey number Bregman wore during his nine seasons with the Houston Astros. And it holds significance for Bregman, as he chose the digit largely because he was the second overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft.
“I was super-happy to come to a good organization like the Astros, an organization that was up-and-coming,” Bregman told The Arizona Republic back in 2018. “But, yeah, I was pissed. I wanted to be the No. 1 overall pick. Part of the reason I wear No. 2 is because of that.”
Bregman, who came off the board after the Arizona Diamondbacks used the top pick on Dansby Swanson, now embarks upon a new journey in Boston after signing a three-year contract with the Red Sox. The No. 2 remains on his back. But the connection is more powerful than ever given the local history of that jersey number.
Jerry Remy, a Massachusetts native, wore No. 2 with the Red Sox from 1978 to 1984. He later became a beloved member of the NESN family, with a broadcast career that lasted more than 30 years and left an indelible mark on Red Sox Nation before his passing in October 2021.
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As NESN’s Tom Caron posted Saturday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the RemDawg would’ve loved the Bregman signing. Not just because it improves the Red Sox’s chances of contending for an American League East title in 2025. But also because Bregman plays the game hard — much like Remy — and could emerge as a clubhouse leader for Boston’s evolving core.
While Remy is synonymous with No. 2, especially at NESN, we can’t overlook Xander Bogaerts’ impressive career wearing the number for Boston, as well. He won five Silver Slugger Awards, earned four All-Star selections and won two World Series titles with the Red Sox, the most recent championship coming in 2018.
It’ll be hard for Bregman to replicate that success, of course. He’s entering his age-31 season, with a three-year contract that reportedly includes two opt-outs.
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But the hope, obviously, is he’ll contribute to the Red Sox’s next World Series title — something that surely would make Remy proud.
Featured image via Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images
