Regardless of whether you’re a baseball fan or not, “The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox,” a docu-series on Netflix, will make you fall in love with the game.
This eight-episode thriller, released in late April, covers the entire 2024 Red Sox season. This series doesn’t just cover what is happening on the field, but also what is going on off the field. We see the day-to-day struggles and successes each player on the team goes through in their own individual lives.
Some people might ask, “Why would I watch this if they didn’t win the World Series?” The Red Sox have been one of the worst teams in recent years, falling into last place in the American League East for the last two seasons. Some people point to the manager, Alex Cora, as the reason for the team’s lack of success. However, throughout the series, viewers learn how much he cares about every single player on the team and how he is, in fact, a perfect fit for the Red Sox.
The show opens with Cora bringing in Wilyer Abreu to hit for the red hot Tyler O’Neil in a must hit situation against the Yankees. Why did Cora make this choice? Abrue’s grandmother was about to pass away in a couple of days, and Cora wanted to put him in the game at one of the most crucial times so he could get a hit. If that’s not enough to convince you how much Cora means to that clubhouse, then you must be a Yankees fan or something.
Everyone on the team had stories to tell, but no one’s story was more heartwarming than pitcher Cam Booser’s. Even if you’re the biggest Red Sox fan in the world, be honest, did you even know who that guy was pitching on the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning on April 19, 2024, against the Pittsburgh Pirates? Even though Booser is less well-known, the story Netflix did on Booser’s journey to the big leagues was truly remarkable. The best scene in the show was when Booser found out he was being called up to the big leagues, an emotional moment that will surely make even the most hardened viewer tear up. If you only had to watch one episode, make it episode three, “Gerente.” It will surely turn you into the biggest Booser fan.
One other must-watch episode is episode four, “Still Alive.” The title speaks for itself, and you can likely guess it’s another emotional episode. The episode covers the struggles that outfielder Jurran Duran went through when he first started his career, and how they impacted him. At the end of the episode, a big shocker arises that no one was expecting to hear. After watching this scene (no spoilers) and episode, you’ll want to buy a Duran jersey, his story is just that touching.
Every game they show either makes you jump up and down in excitement, or shake your head in disappointment. Still, the games were almost always exciting to watch, like when O’Neil hit his fifth opening day home run, when Duran hit the game winning hit against the Blue Jays with the Celtics players in the stands, or when Mastatake Yoshida hit the game tying home run in the bottom of the 9th against the Yankees. For people who know what the season looks like, Netflix did a good job of keeping those emotions, excitement and intensity of the game, which makes the show so enjoyable to watch.
All of the personal stories and excitement of the games is what makes baseball more than just a game, but a way of life. And if you’re still not persuaded after reading this to watch this series, the biggest thing you need to take away is the Yankees suck.
