Not what Song wanted, but he’ll get more chances

JUPITER, Fla. — Most of the seats at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium were empty when Noah Song jogged out of the bullpen on Tuesday afternoon to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning.

Three kids were playing tag on the concourse behind third base as stadium workers closed the concession stands. It was time to go.

But for Song it was a moment six years in the making.

The righthander was drafted by the Red Sox from the Naval Academy in 2019 and pitched impressively in seven starts before leaving baseball for three years to fulfill his service commitment.

Song took a detour to the Phillies last year when he was selected in the

Rule 5 Draft. The Navy allowed him to play but Song was returned to the Sox in August, the Phillies deeming him not ready for the major leagues.

Now he’s in minor league spring training and was one of 12 prospects temporarily added to the major league roster on Tuesday.

“Definitely fun. My first time going into a spring training game with the team,” Song said.

The results were not part of that fun. Song’s first pitch, a 94-mile-perhour fastball, was smacked into center field for a single. Then came a walk, a fly ball for the first out, a wild pitch, and two more walks to force in a run.

“The game got fast for him,” manager Alex Cora said.

Song stepped off the mound, steadied himself, and retired the next batter on a popup to center field. But that was the end of his outing after 24 pitches, only eight of them strikes.

“I felt fine,” Song said. “People set a time for you but things don’t always go your way. Things started to spiral on me and I didn’t do a good job resetting and turning it the other way.”

But there was plenty to like. Song’s fastball was 92-94 and he worked in a slider and changeup.

“His fastball had good carry,” Cora said. “I wanted to get him in there and we’ll do it again. It was good to get that first one out of the way. I told him when he came off that he would be fine.”

Song was used as a closer on Tuesday,

but the Sox are preparing him to pitch multiple innings. The hope is he will break camp and be assigned to Double A Portland or Triple A Worcester.

At 22, Song looked like one of the best pitching prospects the Sox had in years. He’ll be 27 in May and maybe his ceiling will be as a reliever. It will depend to what extent his velocity can improve and how well he regains command of his secondary pitches.

That Song was angry with himself on Tuesday seemed like a good sign. He returned to baseball to compete, not to check off a box before going on to something else in what has already been an interesting life.

“I always try to learn from every

experience, whether it’s good or bad,” Song said. “I think the lessons are pretty apparent in this one. Command is something I’ve tried to pride myself on in the past and it’s something I’ve struggled with ever since I came back.

“So there’s a lot more I can focus on.

Song is working on the basics: Get ahead in the count, throw strikes, sharpen the command of all of his pitches. Do that and the results will follow. In that sense he’s like any other pitcher.

Song appreciated the encouraging words from Cora when he came out to the mound to get him.

“Definitely he was trying to keep my spirits up,” Song said. “He’s seen a lot of baseball and had a lot of experience. So I believe what he’s saying.”

Song did not take a loss. Garrett Ramsey, another minor league call-up, came in the game and needed two pitches to get the third out.

The game ended in a tie and Song boarded the team bus for the long trip back to Fenway South. That’s the life of a minor leaguer. There will be more chances.