Rick Porcello Uses The Players' Tribune To Talk New Red Sox Contract

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PHILADELPHIA — Rick Porcello hasn’t pitched a single regular-season inning for the Boston Red Sox, yet he already has fallen in love with the organization, its fans and his new teammates.

Porcello signed a four-year contract extension with the Red Sox on Monday, taking him through the 2019 season. The 26-year-old explained his decision to sign the extension in an essay published on Derek Jeter’s website, The Players’ Tribune, and it essentially boils down to comfort.

“In a short time, I have become very comfortable with the organization and my teammates,” wrote Porcello, whom the Red Sox acquired from the Detroit Tigers over the offseason. “At our winter fan event in January, I got to spend time with the veteran guys on the team like Mike Napoli, David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia. The main topic of conversation was winning a World Series in 2015.

“What struck me was that it wasn’t discussed like it was a goal, but rather an expectation. I continued to see this overwhelming commitment from my teammates, my manager, my coaches, the front office and ownership.

“I knew immediately I wanted to work in a place with that mentality.”

Porcello started his essay by pointing out a particular instance in which he arrived at JetBlue Park on the second-to-last day of spring training at 8:30 a.m. and found infield instructor/third base coach Brian Butterfield already hard at work. The level of commitment stood out to Porcello, who also praised the club’s attention to detail, its knowledgeable training staff and state-of-the-art facilities.

It’s clear Porcello put a lot of thought into his decision to re-up with Boston for four more years. It’s also clear his entire focus is on helping the Red Sox become World Series contenders again.