Boston Red Sox star Mookie Betts promised a fan before Friday’s game that he would hit a home run for him. He more than delivered.
Betts ended up hitting three home runs, and there was probably only one person at Fenway Park who was more excited about the Red Sox’s 10-5 victory: 10-year-old Nico Sapienza.
Just hours prior, Nico, who has a nervous system genetic disorder known as spinal muscular atrophy, met Betts, his favorite baseball player, through the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
“I’m a really big fan of baseball and the Red Sox, and I really wanted to meet Mookie Betts because he’s my favorite player,” Nico said.
Not only did Nico get to meet Betts, he was able chat it up with some of the other players, tour Fenway and receive some souvenirs.
“I’m glad he came,” Betts said after the pre-game meeting. “He was our good luck charm.”
“I think him and his family had fun down in BP and I think if I can kind of use the platform that I have to make people smile like that then I know I’ve done something well,” the player added.
The 26-year-old slugger ended up 4-for-5 with five RBIs and four runs during the Red Sox’s win against the New York Yankees.
In 2018, the 26-year-old slugger became the first person in MLB to win the American League Most Valuable Player, a Silver Slugger award, a Gold Glove, award, a batting title, and a World Series in the same season.
