FORT MYERS, Fla. — Ryan Brasier arrived at Red Sox minor league camp at this time last year knowing Boston would release him within a month if he struggled while pitching in major league spring training games. He signed a minor league contract with the Sox one year ago Monday.

Manager Alex Cora mentioned several times last season how Brasier’s fastball reached the upper-90s during the ninth inning of big league spring training games in March, hours after the Red Sox regulars had left the ballpark.

“To me, it was if I didn’t pitch well, I was going home,” Brasier said. “It was basically what they told me before I got here. They didn’t say it like that. But they said, ‘We have some innings for you. If you pitch well, you might make a team.’ So I came in thinking I’m either going to make a (minor league) team or I’m going to be done.”

The Red Sox called up Brasier from minor league spring training camp six times to pitch in major league games. He pitched the ninth inning five times, converting all three save chances.

He made Triple-A Pawtucket’s roster. The rest is history. Boston eventually selected his contract July 8. He remained on the major league roster the rest of the season and emerged as one of the most critical relievers for the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

Brasier posted a 1.60 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in 34 outings (332/3 innings) during the regular season. He then allowed just one earned run in 82/3 postseason innings.

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Life hasn’t changed much for the low-key reliever. At least that’s what he says.

“I’m still playing. I’m still living in the same house,” Brasier said. “It’s just the same. Obviously winning the World Series was the coolest thing I’ve ever done as far as sports and stuff go.”

His situation on the field has changed considerably. He’s a lock to make the major league club. He and Matt Barnes are the two leading candidates for the open closer job with Craig Kimbrel gone via free agency.

Most Red Sox players were surprised by Brasier’s velocity when he arrived in the big leagues last year. Cora turned to some players in the dugout and told them, “You guys have no idea who he is. Watch.”

To be fair though, Brasier wasn’t too familiar with the Red Sox roster when he arrived in camp last March.

“To be honest, I couldn’t have told you half the roster before I got here after playing in Japan and not really following it for a whole year,” Brasier said.”

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He did know Brandon Workman pitched for the Red Sox when he signed. Workman hugged Brasier in the Kauffman Stadium clubhouse when Boston promoted the righty.

“Me and Work have known each other for a long time,” Brasier said. “We have known each other since 10 or 11 years old, probably. Or younger. Our sisters played soccer together. And then we played with and against each other all through elementary, junior high, high school. We lived about 45 minutes from each other.”

He wasn’t surprised by the lack of interview requests from reporters when he joined the Red Sox in Kansas City. Only one reporter spoke with him before his first game.

“I’m sure most people thought I was going to be there for three or four days and then go back to Pawtucket,” Brasier said. “And I was older.”

How did he view his own situation at the time?

“I thought if I went up and I threw well there was a chance of sticking or staying,” Brasier said. “I knew their bullpen was pretty much stacked and healthy all year. So I don’t know. That’s a tough question. I didn’t really think about it to be honest with you. I just wanted to throw well.”

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Soon enough, the interview requests soared. Local and national reporters wanted to know every detail about his interesting baseball life story. He hadn’t appeared in a major league game since 2013. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2014.

He pitched in Japan during 2017, where he said baseball gets louder than any other place he has pitched, including winter ball and the majors.

“It’s nonstop,” Brasier said. “They have a chant for every player. They have music they play for every player. It’s nonstop the whole game.”

He never felt overwhelmed by the interview requests. It was never something he didn’t want to do.

“No, especially the way it all happened last year and the success I had, I understood it,” Brasier said. “I got why … telling the story again and again. But it was so fun, man. I could talk about it every day. The funnest, best season that I’ve ever had.”


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