Red Sox closer explains why having the Celtics around the team was inspiring

Earlier this week the Boston Red Sox welcomed the NBA Champion Boston Celtics to Fenway Park to take in their Monday night game against the Toronto Blue Jays and be celebrated on the field before the action truly started.

The energy at Fenway was palpable, as the crowd was one of the best in recent memory, and the Red Sox defeated the Blue Jays 7-6 in walk-off fashion.

After the game, Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen, who pitched the final inning for Boston and earned the win (his third of the season), spoke about how having the Celtics around the team is inspiring to him and his teammates.

“It’s about embracing the moment. See what champions feel like,” Jansen said (via. MassLive ). “Seeing them in here gives you that atmosphere and gives you that feel to be in that situation. I played 10 years in the playoffs, three years in the World Series and won the World Series title (in 2020). There’s nothing better than to be in those situations and that spot. I want each of these young guys to embrace the moment, go out there and not take their foot off the gas."

Boston is playing their best baseball of the year over the last few weeks, but they're far from being considered a true World Series contender. If they continue this hot streak, however, their unexpected success will be hard to ignore and maybe just some of that professionalism and winning mentality that the Celtics entered Fenway Park with will rub off on Alex Cora's squad.