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Rick Porcello really doesn’t want to talk about his contract.
Porcello has downplayed the significance of his looming free agency since the day the Boston Red Sox acquired the pitcher from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Things didn’t change Sunday, as the right-hander offered further evidence he’s well-equipped to handle the outside noise that comes with playing in Boston.
“I’m 100 percent focused on getting ready for the season,” Porcello told reporters in Port St. Lucie, Fla., after his second spring training start against the New York Mets. “I said this a couple of times. That’s my focus, getting prepared for the year. Whatever happens, happens. Right now, that’s my focus and hoping to work hard and win another championship.”
Just because Porcello doesn’t want to talk about entering the final year of his contract, it doesn’t mean the outside chatter suddenly is going to evaporate. Jon Lester, as you might recall, expressed similar sentiments last spring training, yet the longtime Red Sox cornerstone frequently faced questions regarding his future, especially as Boston’s season spiraled down the drain.
If that’s the blueprint, it’s good one for Porcello to follow. Lester put together a career year before hitting the open market and landing a six-year, $155 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. While Porcello might not boast Lester’s resume, he is five years younger at age 26 and is trending upward.
“Honestly, I think this could be the last time I answer that question,” Porcello said Sunday with regard to his contract in a very Lester-esque manner. “I think the focus should be on baseball and our team and what we’re going to do moving forward.”
Porcello clearly has plenty of incentive to focus solely on this season, as it’s indisputably the biggest of his professional career. Yet, some players find it difficult to block out the unyielding sports talk within a large market, especially when the focus is on matters that extend beyond the white lines.
Not Porcello. He flew under the radar on a Tigers pitching staff that featured marquee names like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and David Price, yet he was exposed to rampant speculation in the Motor City. Trade rumors swirled, and the young hurler handled them with the same professionalism he already is showing at Sox camp — and that has drawn rave reviews from his new coaching staff and teammates.
“Every offseason, there were always rumors surrounding me,” Porcello told reporters Sunday. “There’s nothing you can do about it except go about your business, work hard, and hopefully you’re fortunate enough to be playing in the big leagues and wearing a jersey next season, wherever that is.
“The preparation and focus on that doesn’t change. I was involved in a lot of talks but did the best I could to not pay attention to any of it.”
New uniform. Same mindset.
It’s a formula that could help ensure both personal success and team success at a critical point in Porcello’s career.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
