Earlier this week, I was given the opportunity to interview Boston Red Sox pitcher Pat Light. For those of you who don’t know, Pat is a 25-year-old flame-throwing relief pitcher in the Boston system who made his Major League debut last week. Light is considered by some to be the potential Red Sox closer of the future.
2016 marks his second full season as a major league reliever, as he began his professional career as a starting pitcher. Last season, Light struck out 67 while posting a 3.88 ERA in 62.2 innings between Double-A Portland and Pawtucket in 2015. He is considered one of the top prospects in the Red Sox system by most major outlets.
I would like to thank Pat for giving me a bit of his time for this interview. Check out his answers to my questions below.
Jacob Young: First off, what was it like to get drafted and see your dream become a reality?
Pat Light: Obviously, getting drafted was amazing. I had my family there with me and to hear my name was a dream come true!
JY: What was it like transitioning from a starting role to working out of the bullpen?
Pat Light: The transition was not terribly hard, it was still just pitching. The toughest part was trying to figure out how to deal with the struggles in the bullpen. You don’t have four days to figure stuff out anymore like you do as a starter. A lot of times you have one day to figure it out. So that was the toughest part for me.
JY: So you’ve been with the organization for some time now; how do you feel you have changed as a pitcher since arriving?
Pat Light: I’ve just become more mature as a pitcher. When I’m out on the mound I don’t let emotions decide the pitch I want to throw. I’m continuously reading the batter and let the game dictate what’s the best pitch. That’s the biggest change that has happened since starting with the Red Sox in 2012.
JY: I mentioned your move to the bullpen earlier. What role do you see as the best fit for you with the Red Sox in the long run (setup, closer, middle relief)?
Pat Light: It’s tough to say where I fit best going forward. But any bullpen guy that tells you he doesn’t want to be a closer is lying. Obviously, that would be an amazing role to have and that’s what I aspire to be but I’m just going to keep focusing on getting better and pitch whenever the Red Sox have me pitch!
JY: Speaking of the Red Sox, you made your Major League debut last week in Atlanta. What was that experience like?
Pat Light: Surreal. There are no real words to be able to describe that. It was an unbelievable experience and something I’ll never forget.
JY: I was in the stands that night in Atlanta. In case you didn’t notice, the majority of people in attendance were Red Sox fans. What’s it like to play for an organization that has the kind of fanbase that can fill up a road stadium that’s hundreds and hundreds of miles away from its home city?
Pat Light: It’s the kind of organization that you want to play for. It’s really cool that no matter where you go you have a good amount of support in that city. That’s the kind of reach that Boston has and it’s awesome to be able to be a part of it.
JY: Alright just a couple more and I’ll let you go. Who in the organization has been the most influential in your development as a player to this point?
Pat Light: Wow that’s a tough question. So many people have helped me along the way and each have taught me different things. All my pitching coaches have helped me from Paul Abbot to Kevin Walker and Bob Kipper. Our Pitching Coordinator, Ralph Truel, has also been extremely helpful. Tough to just single out one.
JY: As a whole, have you enjoyed your time as a member of the Boston Red Sox organization?
Pat Light: Yes I’ve enjoyed my time with the Red Sox a tremendous amount. I’ve made some really good friends along the way and hope to stay with them the rest of my career.
Once again I’d like to thank Pat for taking the time to answer my questions.
Main Photo
