Ex-Yankee Roger Clemens returns to Red Sox, at least for 1 night

Ex-Yankees ace Roger Clemens will work the radio broadcast of the Red Sox-Astros game in Houston for WEEI Sports Radio on Thursday, May 31, 2018 (5/31/18). Clemens won three Cy Young Awards for the Red Sox and pitched three seasons for the Astros. Clemens remains eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but his candidacy is tainted by allegations of PED use.

Former Yankees ace Roger Clemens is returning to his roots on Thursday. He will call the game between the Red Sox and Astros at Houston’s Minute Maid Park for Boston’s WEEI Sports Radio.

Clemens has plenty of ties to the game.

He grew up in Houston and won the 1986 All-Star Game MVP when it was played in the Astrodome. Clemens pitched for the Astros from 2004-06, winning the NL Cy Young Award his first season in Houston.

Clemens broke into the majors with the Red Sox in 1984, and went on to win 3 Cy Young Awards, before moving on to the Blue Jays and Yankees.

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The idea of Clemens working a Red Sox broadcast is interesting for several reasons.

When he left the club after the 1996 season, it was under less-than-ideal conditions. Boston GM Dan Duquette said at the time Clemens was in the twilight of his career. Clemens then won the AL Cy Young Award the next two seasons in Toronto, before moving on to New York, where he would win a pair of World Series rings.

But folks in Boston have always held a soft spot in their heart for Clemens, the 1986 American League MVP and the only man to have a pair of 20-strikeout games (with both coming in Red Sox uniforms).

No one in Boston has worn No. 21 since Clemens departed in 1996.

He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2014.

That, despite struggling in the National Baseball Hall of Fame voting. 2018 was his sixth year on the ballot, and he was on 57.3% of the ballots (75% is needed for induction).

Clemens’ candidacy is no doubt hurt by the allegations of PED use, which tainted his 354 career wins (which is 9th all-time). His 4,672 strikeouts are third all-time. And no one has won more Cy Young Awards (7) than Clemens.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.