Blake Swihart posts touching tribute, in lineup day after brother’s death
Blake Swihart was in the Boston Red Sox lineup for Thursday’s Grapefruit League exhibition game against the Washington Nationals, just one day after learning of his brother’s sudden death. The Red Sox catcher also posted a touching tribute to his late sibling on Instagram.

Swihart believes his late brother would have wanted him to play on Thursday.
“Romell would have been upset with me if I didn’t put on my uniform today,” Swihart wrote in the Instagram post.
Romell Jordan, a former running back for the New Mexico Lobos, was found dead in his hotel room in Hobbs, N.M., on Wednesday morning. He was 23 years old.
Jordan was taken in by Swihart’s family in high school during a trying time in his life caused by family problems.
In Thursday’s game, which was preceded by a moment of silence, Swihart received a warm welcome from the fans during his first at-bat. After hitting an RBI single in the fourth inning, Swihart was removed from the game. He was met with embraces from Red Sox manager Alex Cora and his teammates in the dugout.
“Everybody was pulling for him to do something special,” said Cora, who closed the clubhouse in light of the tragedy on Wednesday, via ESPN. “It was good for him to play. He was relaxed. Obviously his mind was someplace else, but it was good for him to play.”
Swihart will return to New Mexico for Jordan’s funeral over the weekend. Given the nature of the Jordan’s sudden passing, Cora indicated the Red Sox will allow Swihart the time to mourn and can return when he’s ready.