BOSTON -- It was 18 months ago the Red Sox traded Andrew Benintendi, one of the many postseason heroes from 2018, to the Royals.

Yet Friday was the first time Benintendi returned to Fenway Park to face his original team – the one that made him the seventh overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft.

How much has changed since Benintendi left?

For starters, Benintendi is no longer a Royal. He came back representing the 71-41 Yankees in the other side of MLB’s most storied rivalry. Benintendi’s old team, the Red Sox, have been struggling (55-58) but are hoping to use this weekend as a springboard to vault upward in the American League Wild Card standings.

Walking to the cramped clubhouse on the third-base side of Fenway was a new experience for the left fielder.

“It was a little strange obviously,” said Benintendi. “It’s the first time being back in over a year. I’m just taking it all in again and seeing all the familiar faces that were here in the past.”

Given that he was traded, first by the Red Sox and then from the Royals to New York, Benintendi avoided the harsh treatment from the fans that Johnny Damon and Jacoby Ellsbury got at Fenway whenever they stepped in the box for the Yankees.

Just prior to his first at-bat in the top of the second, a video of Benintendi highlights from his Boston years was shown on the scoreboard in center field. The crowd applauded, as the video was capped by a caption that said, “Welcome Back 2018 World Series champion Andrew Benintendi.”

As Benintendi stepped to the plate, the crowd continued to cheer. He flew out to left.

A fan favorite during his years in Boston, Benintendi will always be remembered for the diving catch he made to end a heart-stopping Game 4 of the 2018 American League Championship Series in Houston.

“Like I always said, those guys that get drafted that high, they’re special,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Very smart individual, great baseball player. We talked about the play in Houston. He made that play. He made the adjustment. Nobody brought him in. He decided to take that step in and we saw the result.”

There are photos everywhere of that catch, and the one of Benintendi flying through the air to make a brilliant snag in front of the Monster in Game 2 of the 2018 World Series against the Dodgers.

Those are the types of memories that flooded back to Benintendi in his return.

“For sure,” said Benintendi. “It’s hard not to remember that stuff, and being part of that team. It was one of the best teams ever. It’s hard to forget. It’s definitely strange being back here, being on this side.”

Benintendi might just be a short-timer on the other side of the rivalry. Traded by the Royals to New York on July 27 -- just a week after he played in his first All-Star Game -- Benintendi is a free agent at season’s end.

The reason it took so long for Benintendi to face the Red Sox is that he was on the injured list both times the Red Sox and Royals played in 2021.

And when the Red Sox were in Kansas City last weekend, Benintendi had already been dealt to New York.

One person who was excited to see Benintendi -- but not necessarily compete against him -- was Cora.

“I love that kid,” said Cora. “That kid, at 7:05, it was fun to see him walk in front of me and saying, ‘Let's kick butt.’ He was prepared, and in tune with the game, in tune with his teammates. Quiet. Some people took that in a different way. I really enjoyed managing him. He was ready.”

In Benintendi’s final season for the Red Sox -- 2020 -- the manager was Ron Roenicke. This, because Cora was suspended by MLB for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal.

When Cora was re-hired by the Red Sox on Nov. 6, 2020, one of the first players to welcome him back was Benintendi, who toasted his manager virtually.

“He has a special place in my heart,” said Cora. “I remember when I got the job back, he gave me a call. He FaceTimed me and he was chugging beer. He was so excited I was coming back. It was a special phone call.”

But Benintendi was traded to Kansas City just before Spring Training, so the reunion with Cora never happened.

“Playing for AC was great,” said Benintendi. “Obviously the connections I have with all those guys over there go beyond just baseball. To come back and be able to see a lot of the familiar faces that I’ve seen in the past and play against some old teammates, I’m looking forward to it and it’s going to be fun.”