Red Sox: Ranking The Starting Lineup’s Walk-Up Songs
.There are a lot of great things about the game of baseball. From the excitement of the MLB Postseason (especially if the Red Sox are in it), all the way down to the hot dogs at a small town Little League food stand. There’s one thing in the middle, that can make all the difference in a player’s game. The walk-up song.
A player’s walk-up song is pivotal in how they feel each at-bat as they walk up to the plate. And you can tell a lot about the player by what song they choose.
After going to a few Red Sox games in the past couple years. I’ve gotten slightly familiar with the team’s walk-up songs. So I thought it would be fun to rank the Sox starting lineup’s walk-up songs. In my personal opinion. For reference, I will be using the Red Sox walk-up playlist from their MLB.com site
My Criteria
There are 3 criteria I will be ranking them by. 1) The energy/vibe the song gives off. 2)The sing-along-ability. And 3) The catchiness of the song overall. All on a scale of 1-10.
I will be using the lineup, that according to Rotowire.com, is the default order for the team against RHP.
There are a few non-english songs, so for those ones I will be automatically giving them at least a 5 for sing-along-ability. Just to keep it more fair for those players.
Remember this is all personal OPINION.
#9- OF Alex Verdugo
Song: Volver, Volver by Vicente Fernandez),
The main focal point of the Mookie Betts trade back in 2020, Verdugo has become a fan favorite in Beantown. The 27-year old, oft-called “Dugie”, comes from Mexican descent. His walk-up song is Volver, Volver by Mexican-born singer Vicente Fernandez. It’s what I think of as a Mariachi-style fully spanish song.
Energy/Vibe: 6.0
The song doesn’t bring a lot of energy, especially for being a walk-up song. I have a hard time thinking it gets Verdugo pumped up on his way to the plate, hoping to hit a dinger. It sounds like something you would hear in a Mexican restaurant. But not like a big franchise chain, one of your smaller, regional chains. Which is the only place I feel like I could vibe along to the song.
Sing-Along-Ability: 5.0
As stated before, each non-english song on this list gets at least a 5 in this category. The only thing I personally am able to really sing along to is any part of the song that has the title word in it (Volver).
Catchiness: 6.0
I give it a 6, because I could easily see myself just walking around singing the word “Volver” randomly. And the song has a nice rhythm to it.
Final Score: 17.0
#8- OF Jarren Duran
Song: Came and Saw by Young Stoner Life & Young Thug feat. Rowdy Rebel
Duran has exploded onto the scene for the Red Sox this season. After some having doubts about his potential at the end of last season. Like Verdugo, Duran also played for the Mexican National Team in the WBC. But unlike Dugie, Duran’s song choice doesn’t co-mingle with the Mexican heritage. More so, this song choice shows off the youth of Duran. Meaning it’s a song you would see a lot of people Duran’s age listening to (26 years old), if they are into hip-hop/rap music.
Energy/Vibe: 7.5
It gives off some good energy, the beat has some nice bass to it. But personally, it doesn’t get me hyped up really. Young Thug honestly ruins the song a bit for me. If it were Rowdy Rebel the whole song, then this score would probably be higher. His voice itself just brings more energy than Young Thug’s.
Sing-Along-Ability: 6.0
While I didn’t know this song before hearing it at the games and while making this list. I don’t think there’s anything about this song that makes it real good sing/rap-along type song.
Catchiness: 5.0
There’s no chorus that gets stuck in your head, or any word/verse like Verdugo’s “Volver, Volver” that is easy to remember. The main redeeming thing about this song is the energy Rowdy Rebels voice gives, and the bass in the beat.
Final Score: 18.5
#7- 3B Rafael Devers
Song: Leyenda by Anuel AA
Devers song choice fits him well. Mainly because the song title, is what he is/will be when it comes to Red Sox History. “Leyenda” translates to legend. Which if he isn’t already, Devers is on the path to becoming a legend for the Red Sox.
Energy/Vibe: 8.0
I could see myself vibing to this song more often than the two before it on this list. Even though I have no idea what Anuel AA is saying besides “Leyenda”, the majority of the song gives off a solid energy and a vibe that is fit for a legend.
Sing-Along-Ability: 5.0
The default 5.o is given to this song. Just like Verdugo’s song, the only thing i’m able to sing along to is when the title shows up in the song.
Catchiness: 7.0
Even more than “Volver, Volver”, I could see myself walking around randomly singing /saying “Son Leyenda” no matter where I am, if it pops into my head.
Final Score: 20.0
#6- INF Pablo Reyes
Song: Creere by Tercer Cielo
Reyes has jumped on every opportunity given to him in the past month. Including a game-winning Grand Slam over the Green Monster to beat the Kansas City Royals. In August alone, the D.R. native is hitting .378. Reyes song choice is the third and last non-English song on this list.
Energy/Vibe: 7.0
This song is more like something I’d expect to see in a pivotal scene of a coming-of-age film rather than as a walk-up song at an MLB game. Nonetheless, the energy of the song is great, but the vibe just isn’t there for what it’s used as.
Sing-Along-Ability: 6.5
While it is a Spanish song, the chorus is a major part of the song, more than usual. And the chorus is easy to sing: “Oh, creeré, creeré, creeré”.
Catchiness: 7.5
That chorus pulls you in, and the beat is so perfectly tied to it, I found myself singing it way more than I expected myself to.
Final Score: 21.0
#5- C Connor Wong
Song: Who? What? by Travis Scott
Wong is more known for his defense than his bat. If his walk-up song was lower on this list, you could say that it’s the song’s fault for his woes at the plate. But that’s not the case.
Energy/Vibe: 7.0
It’s a good song to vibe to at a Travis Scott concert, in the car or maybe even while cleaning. But it just doesn’t have all the makings of a hype up song for sports.
Sing-Along-Ability: 7.5
While I myself can’t keep up with most hip-hop/rap songs. The cadence that Travis Scott uses in this song makes it easier to keep up with. Making it easier to sing-along with.
Catchiness: 7.5
The beat itself makes this song get stuck in your head. There’s no one singular part that will be sang randomly throughout the day. I could see the beat of this song coming through my head randomly, rather than any words themselves.
Final Score: 22.0
#4- OF Masataka Yoshida
Song: Good Feeling by Flo Rida
Yoshida is right in the thick of the AL Rookie of The Year race, after coming over from Japan earlier this year. This signing had a lot of people skeptical at first, but Yoshida’s play has made more people have a “Good Feeling” about the deal.
Energy/Vibe: 8.0
There’s nostalgia in this song for me. Hearing it at Middle/High School Dances, specifically and how everyone would get grooving to it. But it was also used in a lot of TV ads etc., if I remember correctly. To this day, hearing this song makes me wanna move my feet 8 times out of 10.
Sing-Along-Ability: 7.5
The chorus itself gives the song this rating. As I don’t think I know many of the other words, even after hearing it for almost half my life.
Catchiness: 9.0
Just like for the prior category, the chorus gives this rating alone. You can’t tell me that any time you listen to this song that “Oh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah” doesn’t get stuck in your head. You’re lying if you say no to that.
Final Score: 24.5
#3- 1B Triston Casas
Song: It Was A Good Day by Ice Cube
Casas, like Duran, has exploded these last couple months to where he is right behind Yoshida in AL Rookie of The Year odds. Something that wasn’t the case just back in June. There have been many good days for Casas lately.
Energy/Vibe: 7.5
Nice chill vibe to it, but not a lot of motivational energy. It does give a bit of “I’m the man” type of energy, but not very motivational at the same time.
Sing-Along-Ability: 9.5
I can sing this song just about word for word (of course I don’t sing the certain word you are thinking of). And it’s slow enough to where almost anybody can keep up with it. Not to mention some of the iconic lines including “Last week (bleep) around and got a triple-double”.
Catchiness: 8.5
Every time after I listen to it, it’s stuck in my head until I either hear another song or get distracted by something else. It’s easy to get stuck but not as easy to get out of your head.
Final Score: 25.5
#2- SS/2B Trevor Story
Song: Pump It Up by Endor
Story’s return to the lineup has been a great addition for the Sox. As they look to sneak their way into the Wild-Card. The 2x Silver Slugger’s presence was surely missed.
Energy/Vibe: 9.0
This song could make anybody, even my 85-year old grandma, want to pump their fist in the air. Like you are on MTV’s “The Jersey Shore”. Almost immaculate vibes come from this song. I mean just today, I found myself dancing around the house to this song. The energy would seemingly get you feeling loose, before heading up to face a Gerrit Cole 99 mph fastball. Hoping to send it into the stands.
Sing-Along-Ability: 9.5
This song says the same 12 words throughout the whole song, so it’s incredibly easy to learn the words. But at the same time, it can get annoying hearing the same 12 words for the duration of the song (2 mins, 31 seconds). Which is why I gave it a 9.5 instead of a 10.
Catchiness: 9.5
With the same 12 words, it makes it catchier then almost any song on this list. After having listened to this song for the past couple days, it has become my jam right now. But for the same reason I gave Sing-Along a 9.5, the annoyance of the same words, is why I am giving catchiness a 9.5 as well.
Final Score: 28
#1- 1B/3B Justin Turner
Song: Boston by Augustana
Turner decided this past off-season that he would like to come to Boston from LA. And I for one, am glad that he did.This is the perfect song for him to choose. Showing that he was more than
happy to come to Boston “where no one knows my name” as the song says. That might have been true. But it’s not true anymore.
Energy/Vibe: 9.5
While this might not be a hype up song, really at all. The energy/vibe can be great for a multitude of feelings or situations. Sad? Listen and cry, Happy? Listen and sing your heart out
Sing-Along-Ability: 10.0
This was a major hit of the mid-2000’s. There’s no doubt in my mind people my age, and a bit older can still belt out the words to this song, anytime, any place. Including my friend Kylie, as this is one of her very favorite songs.
Catchiness: 9.5
“I think I’ll go to Boston” is a line that everyone loves to yell. It’s catchy and for a city like Boston, they latch onto anything that resembles or mentions the city. Making this song choice even more perfect for Turner to use this year.