I came into last night feeling optimistic about another magical come from behind Boston Red Sox run to win this year’s American League Division Series. Although the game was as close as it could have been, that comeback we all dreamed of wasn’t meant to be, and the Cleveland Indians completed their sweep of Boston to advance to the next round of the post season.

With last night’s result, the remarkable career of David Ortiz came to a close. Fittingly, his final curtain call happened at Fenway Park, and as he always seems to do, Big Papi owned the moment. I’ll never forgot his final at bat, a walk. I’ll never forget watching him stand at first base pumping his arms in the air to fire up the crowd one last time. And I’ll never forget his emotional final salute to the fans on the pitcher’s mound after the game was over. It’s amazing how one man can have such an impact on so many people. 

There are some incredible photographers in Boston and around the country that have documented David’s entire career, from the beginning through these final moments last night. I consider myself lucky to have been there for the last five years of his career, a chapter that included a World Series win in 2013 in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing. He’s one of those figures in sports that is larger than life, and it was a pleasure to cover such an iconic subject for part of the journey. 

And just like that, my seventh season in Major League Baseball, and fifth with the Boston Red Sox, is done. As a team photographer in a city like Boston and a venue like Fenway Park, your switch needs to be turned on all the time. It can be exhausting, frustrating, and taxing at times, and there were certainly points in the season where I felt all of those. I had fun – a lot of fun. There were great moments, too many to count, and even better people in my life, all of which I’m very thankful for.

Congratulations to everyone in the front office on a fantastic season! 

Now, it’s time for some rest before the off-season shooting begins. More to come, as always!

Here are some photos from the Red Sox team workout on the off day before game three of the American League Division Series.