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Boston Red Sox: Nicknames for every key player for MLB Player’s Weekend

By Logan Jakubajtys

Jun 13, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland (18) celebrates with left fielder Andrew Benintendi (16) after Benintendi hit a walk off single to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in twelve innings at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland (18) celebrates with left fielder Andrew Benintendi (16) after Benintendi hit a walk off single to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in twelve innings at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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On Player’s Weekend, the Boston Red Sox and the rest of the MLB players will be allowed to wear nicknames on the back of jerseys and bright cleats.

MLB Player’s Weekend will be August 25-27 and a few Boston Red Sox should go nickname-on-back. Players across the league will be allowed to have their nickname on the back of their jersey, and the rules on cleats will also be loosened to allow for brighter, more fun colors.

Players will also have the option to wear a personalized patch to honor someone who helped in their baseball life. There will certainly be a lot to take in aesthetically that weekend.

Boston will be playing a home series that weekend against the Baltimore Orioles. Of course, the Red Sox classic home white jerseys don’t have a name on the back, and neither do their Friday red jerseys. It will be interesting to see if they decide to add names to those, or maybe they’ll wear their road blues.

Without further ado, here are some of the nicknames I’d like to see on display late in August in Boston.

Andrew Benintendi: Benny Biceps

Benny Baseball or Benny Biceps. Right now, it’s all Benny Biceps. The nickname was given to Benintendi unofficially by Jared Carrabis, who covers the Red Sox and baseball on Barstool Sports and on his podcast Section 10.

Mookie Betts: Mookie Monster

Mookie itself is actually a nickname that was given to Betts at a young age. Walk around Fenway nowadays and you’ll see your fair share of “Mookie Monster” t-shirts.

Xander Bogaerts: X-Man

I think this one is pretty self-explanatory for Xander.

Jackie Bradley Jr.: JBJ

JBJ got his nickname in a similar fashion as New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (OBJ).

Joe Kelly: J.K.

According to Joe Kelly himself, the most common nickname used towards him is just his initials. A little boring but hey, you can’t pick your own name.

Sandy Leon: Hurricane Sandy

I’m not exactly sure where this nickname originated, but when Leon is hammering the ball this one is perfect. He’s slipped a bit this year and Vazquez is clearly the #1, but Hurrican Sandy can still show up in full force.

Mitch Moreland: Two-Bags

Another Jared Carrabis original for Mitchy “Two-Bags” Moreland. The king of doubles this season for the Red Sox, this nickname can actually be adapted to Mitchy “Three-Bags” or Mitchy “Four-Bags” when he smashes a triple or homer.

Dustin Pedroia: Laser Show

This one has been around for years. You’ll more often hear of him referred to as Pedey, but in the case of a nickname for the back of the jersey, I think Pedroia should go with Laser Show.

More from Boston Red Sox

Rick Porcello: Pretty Ricky

It just flows, even though his pitching has been anything but pretty so far in 2017.

Hanley Ramirez: HanRam

Hanley Ramirez can be a monster at the plate, and when he is the HanRam fans are out in full force on Twitter. This is a name he can’t escape.

Chris Sale: The Condor

Chris Sale’s Condor nickname comes from his unorthodox pitching style. He uses what is known as the “inverted W” and it makes him look like a bird with it’s wings spread.

Pablo Sandoval: Panda

I really just hope Pablo “Panda” Sandoval isn’t on the field for the Red Sox by this point in the season.

Christian Vazquez: Mini Yadi

This would be a bold move if Vazquez decided to put it on the back of his jersey. He’s been compared defensively to the great Yadier Molina, and the two have worked out together, but it’s way too early in his career to say for sure.

Next: It's time to move on from Pablo Sandoval

Overall, I’d have to say Mitchy “Two-Bags” Moreland has the best Red Sox nickname in 2017. He’s consistently hitting doubles to play into it, and it can be changed up if he hits one over the monster. Versatility is key. Are there any nicknames on the team you think I missed? Let us know on Twitter @ChowderAndChampions!

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