Alex Bregman gets standing ovation, hits HR in first at-bat in his return to Houston, but Astros rally to top Red Sox
Alex Bregman returned to Houston on Monday for the first time since he left the Astros last offseason to join the Boston Red Sox as a free agent. Bregman received a warm welcome from an appreciative Houston crowd. He then proceeded to hit a home run in his first at-bat of the game.
The blast gave Boston a 2-0 lead, but Houston rallied for a 7-6 win.
Warm reception for Bregman
Bregman was greeted with a tribute video on the big board featuring a montage of his Houston highlights. Fans in the stands welcomed him with a standing ovation, and he stepped out of the Boston dugout to tip his cap, showing no hard feelings over his decision to leave Houston for the Red Sox.
Then came time for baseball.
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Bregman came to the plate in the top of the first inning with no outs and a runner on first base after Roman Anthony led the game off with a single off Astros starter Cristian Javier.
Bregman then got the best of his former World Series champion teammate, launching a 1-1 sweeper that hung over the plate into the left-field bleachers.
The home run gave the Astros an early 2-0 lead in Bregman's first career at-bat while wearing something other than an Astros uniform in Houston. It also signaled a tough start on the mound for Javier, who was making his first MLB appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2024.
But it wasn't enough for a Red Sox win as the Astros countered with a pair of two-run home runs from Chas McCormick and Ramón Urías en route to a 7-2 lead through five innings. Boston answered with a four-run seventh inning capped by a two-run home run from Anthony. But Houston held on for the one-run win.
Bregman's had a strong Red Sox debut
Bregman previously played nine seasons with the Astros and was one of the faces of a franchise, winning two World Series titles during his tenure. He was named to two All-Star teams, won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger, and received MVP votes in four seasons during his time with the Astros.
Bregman joined the Red Sox on a three-year, $120 million contract in the offseason as Boston sought to raise its profile as a competitor in the AL playoff race. So far, he has delivered. Bregman entered Monday with the highest batting average of his career, slashing .298/.380/.531. His two-run blast off Javier put him at 15 home runs and 48 RBI for the season. He was named an All-Star in July for the third time in his career.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, left Monday's game with a 2.5-game cushion for the second of three AL wild-card spots. A postseason matchup with the Astros — who left Monday's game with a one-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West — is potentially in store.
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