BOSTON — Before batting practice, Sam Travis walked around the Fenway Park infield, carrying a bat. He took a knee in right field and stared toward home plate.

Taking it all in.

Travis had earlier worked out at first base with coach Brian Butterfield.

“He looked great,” Butterfield said. “Now let’s see if we can get his heartbeat down.”

Travis, 23, who finished the 2015 season with the Portland Sea Dogs, made his major league debut Wednesday night, playing first base for the Red Sox.

“This is a guy who’s got a nose to hit,” Manager John Farrell said. “He’s got some instincts. He’s got some bat speed. He’s got some strength in the bat.”

Boston needs more bats and maybe Travis will help.

On Wednesday, Travis went 2 for 4 while playing a solid first base.

“I don’t know if you could do a whole lot better,” Farrell said. “He made a couple of good plays defensively, and he looks most comfortable in a batters’ box, I’ll tell you that.”

In his first at-bat, Travis hit a grounder up the middle but Texas has a shortstop named Elvis Andrus. He’s got range. Travis was thrown out.

“That’s why he’s in the big leagues,” Travis said.

Leading off the fifth, Travis hit a bouncer off pitcher Martin Perez’s glove. It rolled toward Andrus, but this time Travis beat the throw for a single. As the ball was retrieved for Travis, the Fenway crowd gave an extended ovation and Rangers first baseman Mike Napoli offered congratulations.

“I was just up there, trying to get something going and get on base,” said Travis in his usual matter-of-fact way.

What about that heartbeat?

“I was a little nervous in the first inning,” he said. “After that I was good to go and able to focus on what I could control, and that’s to win the game.”

In the seventh inning, with the left-handed Perez at 111 pitches, the Rangers kept him in to face Travis. Surely they had a scouting report on Travis’ mashing against lefties (.414 in Pawtucket). Travis lined a 95 mph fastball to center field for a single. He eventually reached second and came home with a head-first slide, scoring on Josh Rutledge’s single to right.

“Just trying to get the team going,” he said.

He batted again in the seventh and struck out, leaving the game when Mitch Moreland, who pinch-hit for Sandy Leon in the seventh, moved to first.

Travis’ parents and sister, who were at Fenway, got the word of the call-up right after he did, when Pawtucket Manager Kevin Boles called Monday night.

Fenway is a little different than McCoy Stadium.

“There’s not an atmosphere like this. It’s amazing,” Travis said.

It’s been a quick, bumpy journey for Travis, who was Boston’s minor league offensive player of the year in 2015. He came to Fenway in September of that year to accept the award.

“When I’m on this field, it makes it all worth it,” Travis said at the time. “I hope to be here soon.”

Now, after an abbreviated 2016 because of a torn ACL in his left knee, Travis was walking around Fenway.

“It’s good to be here and actually be in uniform and be able to compete with these guys,” Travis said.

And Travis does compete. He has that Pedroia-like drive that Farrell noticed the last two spring trainings.

“What we take away from spring training is that he’s a hard-nosed player, aggressive,” Farrell said. “You like the presence he gives when he’s on a baseball field.”

Maybe that presence will help kick-start an offense that’s needed a kick. Travis also provides depth – Moreland can pinch-hit in a key spot.

“Anything to help the team,” Travis said.

He always says that.

“It’s great to see him to step in the first day and contribute like he did,” Farrell said.

Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: @ClearTheBases

Related Stories