Giants player Mike Yastrzemski had a special day recently when his grandfather, known as “Papa Yaz,” came to see him before a game. During the game, Yastrzemski hit a home run, which made the day even more memorable.
The home run landed not far from where his grandfather’s retired number hangs in the ballpark. Yastrzemski, who has fond memories of being at the ballpark as a child, reflected on how his first home run there felt surreal, but this time, he was able to enjoy the moment.
This season, Yastrzemski has hit three home runs and a total of 90 in his career, all with the Giants. His recent home run gave the Giants an early lead in the game. Giants manager Bob Melvin was thrilled by the moment, expressing gratitude to the “baseball gods” for it.
The former baseball catcher, who played in Boston for one of his ten seasons, expressed his joy, reminiscing about the time when Carl Yastrzemski, Mike’s grandfather, led the Red Sox to victory in 1967. He was amazed by the moment and didn’t have much to say because it was so special.
Mike Yastrzemski shares that he meets his grandfather a couple of times every year. Sometimes he seeks advice on hitting from his grandfather, a three-time batting champion and ’67 AL MVP. However, his grandfather mostly talks about family rather than pushing baseball advice. Mike appreciates that his grandfather respects his career choices.
During their recent meeting, they didn’t discuss hitting; instead, his grandfather asked about his physical well-being, and Mike enjoyed having him around for a brief moment. His grandfather quickly left without staying for the game, a habit Mike finds typical, joking that his grandfather probably left the car running while he was inside.
