HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman were back at Daikin Park on Monday.
But while Correa was making his triumphant return home after the recent blockbuster trade that brought him back to the Houston Astros from the Minnesota Twins, Bregman was in the ballpark for the first time as a visitor after signing with the Boston Red Sox this offseason.
Houston held off a late rally to win the opener of the three-game series 7-6.
Bregman was honored with a pregame video welcoming him back to Houston and highlighting his many accomplishments with the team.
“Really cool,” he said. “Great moment, just tried to soak it all in. (Red Sox manager Alex Cora) told me to enjoy it and I really tried to. It was a special moment.”
He received a nice ovation then and before his first at-bat in the first inning. But after he slugged a two-run homer in that at-bat, the home crowd heartily booed him each time he came to the plate.
“It was great,” he said with a laugh when asked about the boos. “I loved it. I was hoping they would.”
The Astros put a picture of Correa with the words: ‘Welcome Home’ on the big screen before his first at-bat in the bottom of the first. He received a standing ovation from the crowd of 39,330 and stepped away from the plate to tip his batting helmet to the fans.
He was overcome with emotion, but had to get himself together quickly with Garrett Crochet on the mound.
“I got chills and I almost felt like crying,” Correa said. “But I was like I cannot cry before facing a possible Cy Young winner. So keep it together. But it was it was truly special to see how much love this city has for me.”
Correa hit an RBI single Monday to help Houston to the win.
Bregman, drafted second overall by the Astros in 2015, spent his first nine seasons in Houston where he helped the team to eight playoff berths, including seven trips to the AL Championship Series, four World Series appearances and two championships. The third baseman was named an All-Star twice in Houston, won a Gold Glove last season and a Silver Slugger Award in 2019 when he came in second in AL MVP voting.