“I love the fact that there’s the traditions, whether it be ‘Sweet Caroline,’ but always playing ‘Dirty Water,’” he added.
While not everyone loves Neil Diamond’s classic, played in the middle of the eighth inning at every game at Fenway, “Sweet Caroline” helped create an unforgettable moment for Nathaniel Lowe, who signed with the team in August.
“The first time that they played my new [walk-up song] was right after ‘Sweet Caroline,’” Lowe said before Friday’s playoff-clinching win, recalling his first game using the Creed song “One Last Breath” as his walk-up music during a late-inning pinch hit spot after the Diamond song played. “I was like, ‘Alright, I’m fine with ‘Sweet Caroline’ as my walk-up song,’ but when the Creed came on and I could hear people singing … it’s super special.”
The selection of Creed already seems to be endearing Lowe to fans on social media, with the first baseman admitting that he chose the song because of “past experience.” Lowe was a member of the 2023 World Series-winning Texas Rangers, which found inspiration in Creed music during that year’s playoff run.
“There’s some pretty good mojo with it, and I’ve never used it as a walk-up song before, so I figured, why not try?” Lowe said of walking out to “One Last Breath.”
Overall, the Red Sox roster has eclectic tastes when it comes to walk-up songs, with highlights from the team’s current playlist online including Garrett Crochet’s choice of “Rooster” by Alice In Chains; Jarren Duran using “Timeless” from The Weeknd and Playboi Carti; Conner Wong walking out to Jay-Z’s “Young Forever”; Justin Slaten taking the mound to Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”; and Nate Eaton coming out to Mac Miller’s “Blue World.”
“Crochet is pretty good, ‘Rooster’ [is] pretty good,” said rising pitching prospect Connelly Early, who also praised third baseman Alex Bregman’s choice for bringing “a little country vibe to it” (Bregman had been walking up to the country-infused “All the Way” by BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman, but now appears to be using the more hip-hop heavy “Set It Off” by Boosie Badazz, a song he had used while a member of the Houston Astros).
As for the 23-year-old left hander, Early takes the mound to the radio mix of the classic house song “Call on Me” by Eric Prydz, although he admitted that he’s “not too sure” why exactly he picked it.
“I’ve always liked the song,” Early said. “I like listening to all music, so I was trying to pick something, and that’s just what I ended up choosing, and ended up, you know, throwing pretty decent with it, so I’m gonna stick with it.”
Masataka Yoshida, on the other hand, uses a more family-friendly tune as his walk-up music, coming up to bat each home game to Dwayne Johnson singing “You’re Welcome” off of the “Moana” soundtrack. The Japanese outfielder told the Globe through an interpreter before Saturday’s game that he chose the song because his kids listened to it a lot during his rehab from injury earlier in the season.
“It’s a song that my daughters used to listen to a lot, especially during my rehab times,” said Yoshida. “Good lyrics, good vibes, so that’s why I chose to use that song.”
Latin music and culture have played big parts this season too, particularly from the world of hip-hop, with players like Carlos Narváez walking up to Daddy Yankee’s “Somos de Calle.” But the season’s most electric entrance goes to closer Aroldis Chapman, who walks in from the bullpen to Cuban singer Celia Cruz’s “La vida es un carnaval,” accompanied by a video on the big screen of late Red Sox legend Luis Tiant smoking a cigar before cutting to highlights of Chapman mixed with salsa dancers performing to the song.
“This isn’t just a walkout, it’s a whole performance,” said Early. “Growing up, I loved watching Aroldis, so seeing him come out to close the game is insane.”
“The whole video on the scoreboard, and watching him run out of the bullpen, it’s an exciting experience,” said Lowe.
Hendriks noted that Chapman’s entrance is particularly meaningful because of how it pays homage to Tiant and the shared Cuban heritage between the pitchers.
“The most iconic thing to anyone who knows anything about the organization of the Boston Red Sox is having Luis Tiant up there,” said Hendriks. “I think that’s really pivotal, not only because of the Cuban relationship, but also just what he meant to this organization.”
“I think that’s a fantastic one, and it fits Aroldis’s vibe,” he added.
See the full list of current Red Sox walk-up songs here, and check out a playlist of music from the season below.