Inside The Red Sox

Catalyst Of Red Sox's 2018 World Series Run Retires After 11 MLB Seasons

A former spark plug for the Red Sox is hanging up his cleats

Scott Neville

Catalyst Of Red Sox's 2018 World Series Run Retires After 11 MLB Seasons
Catalyst Of Red Sox's 2018 World Series Run Retires After 11 MLB Seasons /
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The 108-win, World Series champion Boston Red Sox roster is dropping like flies.

Not long after reports arose of David Price's potential impending retirement, utility man Eduardo Núñez -- who was in Boston from the trade deadline of 2017 through 2019 -- retired from Major League Baseball.

The 35-year-old has not appeared in a game since July 26, 2020, as a member of the New York Mets but did not officially retire until Thursday.

Núñez's biggest contribution to Boston came in Game 1 of the 2018 World Series, when he hit a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the seventh inning off of then-Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Wood, all but sealing the opening match.

Núñez hit .268 with 65 extra-base hits including 20 home runs, 91 RBIs and a .694 OPS in 225 regular games across three seasons. 

He provided an immediate impact in 2017 and was a solid bridge player that allowed eventual superstar Rafael Devers to come along at his own pace without being thrown into the fire.

Though he had a fairly brief stint in Boston, Red Sox nation should remember Núñez fondly. 

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Scott Neville
SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer.  His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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