For a team that’s existed for over a century, “firsts” are an unusual occurrence at this point.
Yet the Red Sox experienced one recently with the call-up of infielder Brandon Phillips. The 37-year-old, who last played at a Major League level for the Angels in 2017 and has been in Boston’s minor leagues since signing in June, was forced to confront a numerical predicament.
As Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe pointed out, Phillips’s usual No. 4 jersey was retired by the Red Sox in honor of team legend Joe Cronin.