| Boston Red Sox | |||||
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 2025 Boston Red Sox season | |||||
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| Major league titles | |||||
| World Series titles(9) | |||||
| AL Pennants(14) | |||||
| AL East Division titles(10) | |||||
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| Principal owner(s) | Fenway Sports Group (John Henry)[3] | ||||
| President | Sam Kennedy (President and CEO) | ||||
| President of baseball operations | Craig Breslow (Chief Baseball Officer) | ||||
| Manager | Alex Cora | ||||
| Website | mlb.com/redsox | ||||
TheBoston Red Sox are an American professionalbaseball team based inBoston. The Red Sox compete inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of theAmerican League (AL)East Division. Founded in1901 as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the team's homeballpark has beenFenway Park since1912. The "Red Sox" name was chosen by the team owner,John I. Taylor,c. 1908, following the lead of previous teams that had been known as the "Boston Red Stockings", including theBoston Braves (now theAtlanta Braves).[4] The team has won nineWorld Series championships, tied for thethird-most of any MLB team, and has played in thirteen World Series. Their most recent World Series appearance and win was in2018. In addition, they won the1904 American Leaguepennant, but were not able to defend their1903 World Series championship when theNew York Giants refused to participate in the1904 World Series.
The Red Sox were a dominant team in the new league, defeating thePittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in1903 and winning four more championships by 1918. However, they then went into one of the longest championshipdroughts in baseball history, dubbed the "Curse of the Bambino" after its alleged inception due to the Red Sox' sale of star playerBabe Ruth to the rivalNew York Yankees two years after their World Series championship in 1918. The Sox endured an 86-year wait before the team's sixth World Series championship in2004. The team's history during that period was punctuated with some of the most memorable moments in World Series history, includingEnos Slaughter's "mad dash" in1946, the "Impossible Dream" of1967,Carlton Fisk's home run in1975, andBill Buckner'serror in1986. Following their victory in the2018 World Series, they became the first team to win fourWorld Series trophies in the 21st century, with championships in2004,2007,2013 and2018. The team's history has also been marked by itsintense rivalry with the New York Yankees, arguably the fiercest and most historic inNorth American professional sports.[5][6][7]
The Red Sox are owned byFenway Sports Group, which also ownsLiverpool of thePremier League in England, theNational Hockey League'sPittsburgh Penguins and partially ownsRFK Racing of theNASCAR Cup Series. They are consistently one of the top MLB teams in average road attendance, while the small capacity of Fenway Park prevents them from leading in overall attendance.[8] From May 15, 2003, to April 10, 2013, the Red Sox sold out every home game—a total of 820 games (794 regular season) for a major professional sports record.[9][10] BothNeil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and theStandells' "Dirty Water" have become anthems for the Red Sox.[11][12]
As of the end of the 2024 season, the franchise's all-time regular-season record is9,955–9,263–83 (.518).[13]
The nameRed Sox, chosen by ownerJohn I. Taylor after the 1907 season, refers to the red hose in the team uniform beginning in 1908.Sox had been previously adopted for theChicago White Sox by newspapers needing a headline-friendly form ofStockings, as "Stockings Win!" inlarge type did not fit in a column. The team name "Red Sox" had previously been used as early as 1888 by a 'colored' team from Norfolk, Virginia.[14] TheSpanish language media sometimes refers to the team asMedias Rojas, a translation of "red socks". The official Spanish site uses the variant "Los Red Sox".[15]
The Red Stockings nickname was previously used by theCincinnati Red Stockings, who were members of the pioneeringNational Association of Base Ball Players. Managed byHarry Wright, Cincinnati adopted a uniform with white knickers and red stockings and earned the famous nickname, a year or two before hiring the first fully professional team in 1869. When the club folded after the 1870 season, Wright was hired by Boston businessmanIvers Whitney Adams[16] to organize a new team in Boston, and he brought three teammates and the "Red Stockings" nickname along. (Most nicknames were then unofficial—neither club names nor registered trademarks—so the migration was informal.) TheBoston Red Stockings won four championships in the five seasons of the newNational Association, the first professional league.
When a new Cincinnati club was formed as a charter member of theNational League in 1876, the "Red Stockings" nickname was commonly reserved for them once again, and the Boston team was referred to as the "Red Caps". Other names were sometimes used before Boston officially adopted the nickname "Braves" in 1912; the clubeventually left Boston for Milwaukee and is now playing inAtlanta.
In 1901, the upstartAmerican League established a competing club in Boston. (Originally, a team was supposed to be started inBuffalo, but league ownership at the last minute removed that city from their plans in favor of the expansion Boston franchise.) For seven seasons, the AL team woredark blue stockings and had no official nickname. They were simply "Boston", "Bostonians" or "the Bostons"; or the "Americans" or "Boston Americans" as in "American Leaguers", Boston being a two-team city. Their 1901–1907 jerseys, both home, and road, just read "Boston", except for 1902 when they sported large letters "B" and "A" denoting "Boston" and "American". Newspaper writers of the time used other nicknames for the club, including "Somersets" (for ownerCharles Somers), "Plymouth Rocks", "Beaneaters", the "Collinsites" (for managerJimmy Collins)", and "Pilgrims".
For years many sources have listed "Pilgrims" as the early Boston AL team'sofficial nickname, but researcher Bill Nowlin has demonstrated that the name was barely used, if at all, during the team's early years.[17] The origin of the nickname appears to be a poem entitled "The Pilgrims At Home" written by Edwin Fitzwilliam that was sung at the 1907 home opener ("Rory O'More" melody).[18] This nickname was commonly used during that season, perhaps because the team had a new manager and several rookie players.John I. Taylor had said in December 1907 that the Pilgrims "sounded too much like homeless wanderers."
The National League club in Boston, though seldom called the "Red Stockings" anymore, still wore red trim. In 1907, the National League club adopted an all-white uniform, and the American League team saw an opportunity. On December 18, 1907, Taylor announced that the club had officially adopted red as its new team color. The 1908 uniforms featured a large icon of a red stocking angling across the shirt front. For 1908, the National League club returned to wearing red trim, but the American League team finally had an official nickname and remained the "Red Sox" for good.
The name is oftenshortened to "Bosox" or "BoSox", a combination of "Boston" and "Sox" (similar to the"ChiSox" in Chicago or the minor league"WooSox" of Worcester, a minor league affiliate of Boston). Sportswriters sometimes refer to the Red Sox as theCrimson Hose[19] andthe Olde Towne Team. Recently, media have begun to call them the "Sawx" casually, reflecting how the word is pronounced with aNew England accent. However, most fans simply refer to the team as the "Sox" when the context is understood to mean Red Sox.[20]
The formal name of the entity which owns the team is "Boston Red Sox Baseball Club Limited Partnership".[21] The name shown on a door near the main entrance to Fenway Park, "Boston American League Baseball Company",[22] was used prior to the team's reorganization as a limited partnership on May 26, 1978.
In 1901, the minor Western League, led byBan Johnson, declared itself to be equal to theNational League, then the only major league in baseball.[23] Johnson had changed the name of the league to theAmerican League prior to the 1900 season.[24] In 1901, the league created a franchise in Boston, called the "Boston Americans", to compete with the National League team there.[25][26]
Playing their home games atHuntington Avenue Grounds,[27] the Boston franchise finished second in the league in 1901 and third in 1902.[28][29] The team was originally owned byC.W. Somers.[30] In January 1902, he sold all but one share of the team toHenry Killilea.[30]
The early teams were led by manager and starthird basemanJimmy Collins, outfieldersChick Stahl,Buck Freeman, andPatsy Dougherty, andpitcherCy Young, who in 1901 won the pitchingTriple Crown with 33 wins (41.8% of the team's 79 wins), 1.62 ERA and 158 strikeouts.[31][32][33][34]
In 1903, the team won their first American League pennant[31] and, as a result,Boston participated in thefirst modern World Series, going up against thePittsburgh Pirates.[35] Aided by the modified chants of "Tessie" by theRoyal Rootersfan club and by its stronger pitching staff, the Americans won the best-of-nine series five games to three.[35][36]
In April 1904, the team was purchased byJohn I. Taylor of Boston.[37][38] The 1904 team found itself in a pennant race against theNew York Highlanders.[39] A predecessor to what became a storied rivalry, this race featured the trade of Patsy Dougherty to the Highlanders forBob Unglaub.[40] In order to win the pennant, the Highlanders needed to win both games of their final doubleheader with the Americans at the Highlanders' home stadium,Hilltop Park.[41] WithJack Chesbro on the mound, and the score tied 2–2 with a man on third in the top of the ninth, a spitball got away from Chesbro andLou Criger scored the go-ahead run and the Americans won their second pennant.[42] However, the NL championNew York Giants declined to play anypostseason series, but a sharp public reaction led the two leagues to make the World Series a permanent championship, starting in 1905.[43][44][45]
In1906, Boston lost 105 games and finished last in the league.[46] In December 1907, Taylor proposed that the Boston Americans name change to the Boston Red Sox.[47]
By 1909,center fielderTris Speaker had become a fixture in the Boston outfield,[48] and the team finished the season in third place.[49] In1912, the Red Sox won 105 games and the pennant.[50] The 105 wins stood as the club record until the 2018 club won 108.[51][52] Anchored by an outfield including Tris Speaker,Harry Hooper andDuffy Lewis, and pitcherSmoky Joe Wood, the Red Sox beat the New York Giants 4–3–1 in the1912 World Series best known forSnodgrass's Muff.[53]
From 1913 to 1916, the Red Sox were owned byJoseph Lannin. In 1914, Lannin signed a young up-and-coming pitcher namedBabe Ruth from theBaltimore Orioles of theInternational League.[54][55][56] In 1915, the team won 101 games and went on to the1915 World Series,[57] where they beat thePhiladelphia Phillies four games to one.[58] Following the 1915 season, Tris Speaker was traded to theCleveland Indians.[59] TheRed Sox went on to win the1916 World Series, defeating theBrooklyn Robins.[60]
Harry Frazee bought the Red Sox from Joseph Lannin in 1916 for about $675,000.[61][62] In 1918, Babe Ruth led the team to anotherWorld Series championship over theChicago Cubs.[63]
Prior to the sale of Babe Ruth, multiple trades occurred between the Red Sox and the Yankees. On December 18, 1918, outfielderDuffy Lewis, pitcherDutch Leonard and pitcherErnie Shore were traded to the Yankees for pitcherRay Caldwell,Slim Love,Roxy Walters,Frank Gilhooley and $15,000.[64][65] In July 1919, pitcherCarl Mays quit the team and then was traded to the Yankees for Bob McGraw, Allan Russell and $40,000.[66]
After Mays was traded, league president Ban Johnson suspended him due to his breaking of his contract with the Red Sox.[67][68] The Yankees went to court after Johnson suspended Mays.[67][69] After the Yankees were able to play Mays,[70] the American League split into two factions: the Yankees, Red Sox and White Sox, known as the "Insurrectos", versus Johnson and the remaining five clubs, a.k.a. the "Loyal Five".[67][71]
On December 26, 1919, the team sold Babe Ruth, who had played the previous six seasons for the Red Sox, to the rival New York Yankees.[72] The sale was announced on January 6, 1920.[73] In 1919, Ruth had broken the single-season home run record, hitting 29 home runs.[74][75] It was believed that Frazee sold Ruth to finance theBroadway musicalNo, No, Nanette.[76] While No, No, Nanette did not open on Broadway until 1925, Leigh Montville's book,The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth,[76] reports thatNo, No, Nanette had originated as a non-musical stage play calledMy Lady Friends, which opened on Broadway in December 1919.[76] According to the book,My Lady Friends had been financed by Ruth's sale to the Yankees.[76] The sale of Babe Ruth came to be viewed as the beginning of theYankees–Red Sox rivalry, considered the "best rivalry" by American sports journalists.[77]
In the December 1920,Wally Schang,Waite Hoyt,Harry Harper and Mike McNally were traded to the Yankees forDel Pratt,Muddy Ruel, Hank Thormahlen, Sammy Vick.[78] The following winter,shortstopEverett Scott, and pitchersBullet Joe Bush andSad Sam Jones were traded to the Yankees forRoger Peckinpaugh, who was immediately traded to theWashington Senators,[79]Jack Quinn,Rip Collins, Bill Piercy.[80]
On July 23, 1922,Joe Dugan andElmer Smith were traded to the Yankees for Elmer Miller, Chick Fewster,Johnny Mitchell, andLefty O'Doul.[81][82][83] Acquiring Dugan helped the Yankees edge theSt. Louis Browns in a tight pennant race.[84] After late trades in 1922, a June 15 trading deadline went into effect.[85] In 1923,Herb Pennock was traded by the Red Sox to the Yankees for Camp Skinner, Norm McMillan, andGeorge Murray.[86]
The loss of several top players sent the Red Sox into free fall.[87] During the 1920s and early 1930s, the Red Sox were fixtures in the second division, never finishing closer than 20 games out of first.[88][89] The losses increased after Frazee sold the team toBob Quinn in 1923.[87][89] The team bottomed out in 1932 with a record of 43–111, still the worst record in franchise history.[90] However, in 1931,Earl Webb set the all-time mark for most doubles in a season with 67.[91]
In 1933,Tom Yawkey bought the team.[92] Yawkey acquired pitchersWes Ferrell[93] andLefty Grove,[94]Joe Cronin, a shortstop and manager,[92] andfirst basemanJimmie Foxx.[95] In 1938, Foxx hit 50 home runs, which stood as a club record for 68 years.[96][97] That year Foxx also set a club-record of 175 runs.[98]
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In 1939, the Red Sox purchased the contract ofoutfielderTed Williams from the minor leagueSan Diego Padres of thePacific Coast League, ushering in an era of the team sometimes called the "Ted Sox". Williams consistently hit for both high power and high average, and is generally considered one of the greatest hitters of all time. The right-field bullpens in Fenway were built in part for Williams' left-handed swing, and are sometimes called "Williamsburg". Before this addition, it was over 400 feet (120 m) to right field. He served two stints in theUnited States Marine Corps as a pilot and sawactive duty in both World War II and theKorean War, missing at least five full seasons of baseball. His bookThe Science of Hitting is widely read by students of baseball. He is currently the last player to hit over .400 for a full season, batting .406 in 1941.[99] Williams feuded with sports writers his whole career, calling them "The Knights of the Keyboard", and his relationship with the fans was often rocky as he was seen spitting towards the stands on more than one occasion.
With Williams, the Red Sox reached the1946 World Series but lost to theSt. Louis Cardinals in seven games in part because of the use of the "Williams Shift", a defensive tactic in which the shortstop moves to the right side of the infield to make it harder for the left-handed-hitting Williams to hit to that side of the field. Some have claimed that he was too proud to hit to the other side of the field, not wanting to let the Cardinals take away his game. His performance may have also been affected by a pitch he took in the elbow in an exhibition game a few days earlier. Either way, in his only World Series, Williams gathered just five singles in 25at-bats for a .200 average.
The Cardinals won the 1946 Series whenEnos Slaughter scored the go-ahead run all the way from first base on abase hit to left field. The throw fromLeon Culberson was cut off by shortstopJohnny Pesky, who relayed the ball to the plate just a hair too late. Some say Pesky hesitated or "held the ball" before he turned to throw the ball, but this has been disputed.
Along with Williams and Pesky, the Red Sox featured several other star players during the 1940s, including second basemanBobby Doerr and center fielderDom DiMaggio (the younger brother ofJoe DiMaggio).
The Red Sox narrowly lost the AL pennant in 1948 and 1949. In 1948,Boston finished in a tie withCleveland, and their loss to Cleveland in aone-game playoff ended hopes of an all-Boston World Series. Curiously, managerJoseph McCarthy chose journeymanDenny Galehouse to start the playoff game when the young lefty phenomMel Parnell was available to pitch. In 1949, theRed Sox were one game ahead of theNew York Yankees, with the only two games left for both teams being against each other, and they lost both of those games.
The 1950s were viewed as a time of tribulation for the Red Sox. After Williams returned from the Korean War in 1953, many of the best players from the late 1940s had retired or been traded. The stark contrast in the team led critics to call the Red Sox' daily lineup "Ted Williams and the Seven Dwarfs".Jackie Robinson was even worked out by the team at Fenway Park, however, owner Tom Yawkey did not want an African American player on his team.Willie Mays also tried out for Boston and was highly praised by team scouts. In 1955,Frank Malzone debuted at third base and Ted Williams hit .388 at the age of 38 in 1957, but there was little else for Boston fans to root for. Williams retired at the end of the 1960season, famously hitting a home run in his final at-bat as memorialized in theJohn Updike story "Hub fans bid Kid adieu." The Red Sox finally became the last Major League team to field anAfrican American player when they promotedinfielderPumpsie Green from their AAAfarm team in 1959.
The 1960s also started poorly for the Red Sox, though 1961 saw the debut ofCarl "Yaz" Yastrzemski, Williams' replacement in left field, who developed into one of the better hitters of a pitching-rich decade.
Red Sox fans know 1967 as theseason of the "Impossible Dream". The slogan refers to the hit song from the popularmusical play "Man of La Mancha". 1967 saw one of the great pennant races inbaseball history with four teams in the AL pennant race until almost the last game. The BoSox had finished the 1966season in ninth place, but they found new life with Yastrzemski as the team won the pennant to reach the1967 World Series. Yastrzemski won the American League Triple Crown (the most recent player to accomplish such a feat until Miguel Cabrera did so in 2012), hitting .326 with 44home runs and 121runs batted in. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player, just one vote shy of a unanimous selection as a Minnesota sportswriter placed Twins center fielderCésar Tovar first on his ballot.[100] But the Red Sox lost the series to theSt. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Cardinals pitcherBob Gibson stymied the Red Sox, winning three games.
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An 18-year-old Bostonian rookie namedTony Conigliaro slugged 24 home runs in 1964. "Tony C" became the youngest player in Major League Baseball to hit his 100th home run, a record that stands today. He was struck just above the leftcheek bone by a fastball thrown byJack Hamilton of theCalifornia Angels on Friday, August 18, 1967, and sat out the entire next season with headaches and blurred vision. Although he did have a productive season in 1970, he was never the same.
Although the Red Sox were competitive for much of the late 1960s and early 1970s, they never finished higher than second place in their division. The closest they came to a divisional title was 1972 when they lost by a half-game to theDetroit Tigers. The start of the season was delayed by a players' strike, and the Red Sox had lost one more game to the strike than the Tigers had. Games lost to the strike were not made up. The Red Sox went to Detroit with a half-game lead for the final series of the season, but lost the first two of those three and were eliminated from the pennant race.
The Red Sox won the AL pennant in 1975. The1975 Red Sox were as colorful as they were talented, with Yastrzemski and rookie outfieldersJim Rice andFred Lynn, veteran outfielderDwight Evans,catcherCarlton Fisk, and pitchersLuis Tiant and eccentric junkballerBill "The Spaceman" Lee. Fred Lynn won both the American LeagueRookie of the Year award and theMost Valuable Player award, a feat which had never previously been accomplished, and was not duplicated untilIchiro Suzuki did it in 2001.[101][102] In the1975 American League Championship Series, the Red Sox swept theOakland A's.
In the1975 World Series, they faced the heavily favoredCincinnati Reds, also known asThe Big Red Machine. Luis Tiant won games 1 and 4 of the World Series but after five games, the Red Sox trailed the series 3 games to 2. Game 6 at Fenway Park is considered among the greatest games in postseason history. Down 6–3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Red Soxpinch hitterBernie Carbo hit a three-run homer into the center field bleachers off Reds firemanRawly Eastwick to tie the game. In the top of the 11th inning,right fielder Dwight Evans made a spectacular catch of aJoe Morgan line drive and doubled offKen Griffey at first base to preserve the tie. In the bottom of the 12th inning, Carlton Fisk hit a deep fly ball that sliced towards the left-field foul pole above theGreen Monster. As the ball sailed into the night, Fisk waved his arms frantically towards fair territory, seemingly pleading with the ball not to go foul. The ball complied, and bedlam ensued at Fenway as Fisk rounded the bases to win the game for the Red Sox 7–6.
The Red Sox lost game 7, 4–3 even though they had an early 3–0 lead. Starting pitcher Bill Lee threw a slow looping curve which he called a "Leephus pitch" or "space ball" to Reds first basemanTony Pérez who hit the ball over the Green Monster and across the street. The Reds scored the winning run in the 9th inning. Carlton Fisk said famously about the 1975 World Series, "We won that thing 3 games to 4."
In 1978, the Red Sox and the Yankees were involved in a tight pennant race. The Yankees were14+1⁄2games behind the Red Sox in July, and on September 10, after completing a 4-game sweep of the Red Sox (known as "The Boston Massacre"), the Yankees tied for the divisional lead.
On September 16 the Yankees held a3+1⁄2 game lead over the Red Sox, but the Sox won 11 of their next 13 games and by the final day of the season, the Yankees' magic number to win the division was one—with a win over Cleveland or a Boston loss to theToronto Blue Jays clinching the division. However,New York lost 9–2 and Boston won 5–0, forcing a one-game playoff to be held at Fenway Park on Monday, October 2.
The most remembered moment from the game wasBucky Dent's 7th inning three-run home run in off Mike Torrez just over the Green Monster, giving the Yankees their first lead.[103] The dejected Boston manager,Don Zimmer, gave Mr. Dent a new middle name which lives on in Boston sports lore to this day, uttering three words as the ball sailed over the left-field wall: "Bucky Fucking Dent!"Reggie Jackson provided a solo home run in the 8th that proved to be the difference in the Yankees' 5–4 win, which ended with Yastrzemski popping out toGraig Nettles in foul territory withRick Burleson representing the tying run at third. Although Dent became a Red Sox demon, the Red Sox got retribution in 1990 when the Yankees fired Dent as their manager during a series at Fenway Park.[104]
Carl Yastrzemski retired after the 1983 season, during which theRed Sox finished sixth in the seven-team AL East, posting their worst record since 1966.
However, in 1986, it appeared that the team's fortunes were about to change. The offense had remained strong with Jim Rice, Dwight Evans,Don Baylor andWade Boggs.Roger Clemens led the pitching staff, going 24–4 with a 2.48ERA, and had a 20-strikeout game[105] to win both theAmerican LeagueCy Young and Most Valuable Player awards. Clemens became the first starting pitcher to win both awards sinceVida Blue in 1971.[102] Despite spending a month and a half on the disabled list in the middle of the season, left-handerBruce Hurst went 13–8, striking out 167 and pitching four shutout games. Boston sportswriters that season compared Clemens and Hurst toDon Drysdale andSandy Koufax from the 1960sLos Angeles Dodgers.
TheRed Sox won the AL East for the first time in 11 seasons, and faced theCalifornia Angels in theALCS. The teams split the first two games in Boston, but the Angels won the next two home games, taking a 3–1 lead in the series. With the Angels poised to win the series, the Red Sox trailed 5–2 heading into the ninth inning of Game 5. A two-run homer by Baylor cut the lead to one. With two outs and a runner on, and one strike away from elimination,Dave Henderson homered offDonnie Moore to put Boston up 6–5. Although the Angels tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, the Red Sox won in the eleventh on a Henderson sacrifice fly off Moore. The Red Sox then found themselves with six- and seven-run wins at Fenway Park in Games 6 and 7 to win the American League title.
The Red Sox faced a heavily favoredNew York Mets team that had won 108 games in the regular season in the1986 World Series. Boston won the first two games inShea Stadium but lost the next two at Fenway, knotting the series at two games apiece. After Bruce Hurst recorded his second victory of the series in Game 5, the Red Sox returned toShea Stadium looking to garner their first championship in 68 years. However, Game 6 became one of the most devastating losses in club history. After pitching seven strong innings, Clemens was lifted from the game with a 3–2 lead. Years later, ManagerJohn McNamara said Clemens was suffering from a blister and asked to be taken out of the game, a claim Clemens denied.[106] The Mets then scored a run offreliever and former MetCalvin Schiraldi to tie the score 3–3. The game went to extra innings, where the Red Sox took a 5–3 lead in the top of the 10th on a solo home run by Henderson, a double by Boggs and an RBI single by second basemanMarty Barrett.
After recording two outs in the bottom of the 10th, a graphic appeared on theNBC telecast hailing Barrett as the Player of the Game andBruce Hurst as Most Valuable Player of the World Series. A message even appeared briefly on the Shea Stadium scoreboard congratulating the Red Sox as World Series champions. After so many years of abject frustration, Red Sox fans around the world could taste victory. With the count at two balls and one strike, Mets catcherGary Carter hit a single. It was followed by singles byKevin Mitchell andRay Knight. WithMookie Wilson batting, a wild pitch byBob Stanley tied the game at 5. Wilson then hit a slow ground ball to first; the ball rolled throughBill Buckner's legs, allowing Knight to score the winning run from second.
While Buckner was singled out as responsible for the loss, many observers—as well as both Wilson and Buckner—have noted that even if Buckner had fielded the ball cleanly, the speedy Wilson probably would have still been safe, leaving the game-winning run at third with two out.
Many observers questioned why Buckner was in the game at that point considering he had bad knees and thatDave Stapleton had come in as a late-inning defensive replacement in prior series games. It appeared as though McNamara was trying to reward Buckner for his long and illustrious career by leaving him in the game. After falling behind 3–0, the Mets then won Game 7, concluding the devastating collapse and feeding the myth that the Red Sox were "cursed".[107]
This World Series loss had a strange twist: Red Sox General ManagerLou Gorman was vice-president, player personnel, of the Mets from 1980 to 1983.[108] Working under Mets' GMFrank Cashen, with whom Gorman served with the Orioles, he helped lay the foundation for the Mets' championship.[108]
TheRed Sox returned to the postseason in 1988. With the club in fourth place midway through the 1988 season at the All-Star break, manager John McNamara was fired and replaced byWalpole resident and longtime minor-league managerJoe Morgan on July 15. The club immediately won 12 games in a row, and 19 of 20 overall, to surge to the AL East title in what was calledMorgan Magic. But the magic was short-lived, as the team was swept by theOakland Athletics in theALCS. The Most Valuable Player of that Series was former Red Sox pitcher and Baseball Hall of Fame playerDennis Eckersley, who saved all four wins for Oakland. Two years later, in 1990, theRed Sox again won the division and face theAthletics in theALCS. However, the outcome was the same, with the A's sweeping the ALCS in four straight.
In 1990, Yankees fans started to chant "1918!" to taunt the Red Sox.[109] The demeaning chant echoed atYankee Stadium each time the Red Sox were there.[110] Also, Fenway Park became the scene ofBucky Dent's worst moment as a manager, although it was where he had his greatest triumph.[104] In June, when the Red Sox swept the Yankees during a four-game series at Fenway Park, the Yankees fired Dent as their manager. Red Sox fans felt retribution to Dent being fired on their field, but the Yankees used him as a scapegoat.[104] However,Dan Shaughnessy ofThe Boston Globe severely criticized Yankees ownerGeorge Steinbrenner for firing Dent—his 18th managerial change in as many years since becoming owner—in Boston and said he should "have waited until the Yankees got to Baltimore" to fire Dent.[111] He said that "if Dent had been fired in Seattle or Milwaukee, this would have been just another event in an endless line of George's jettisons. But it happened in Boston and the nightly news had its hook."[111] "The firing was only special because ... it's the first time a Yankee manager—who was also a Red Sox demon—was purged on the ancient Indian burial grounds of the Back Bay."[111] However,Bill Pennington called the firing of Dent "merciless".[112]
Tom Yawkey died in 1976, and his wifeJean R. Yawkey took control of the team until her death in 1992. Their initials are shown in two stripes on theleft field wall inMorse code.[113] Upon Jean's death, control of the team passed to the Yawkey Trust, led byJohn Harrington. The trust sold the team in 2002, concluding 70 years of Yawkey ownership.
In 1994, General ManagerLou Gorman was replaced byDan Duquette, a Massachusetts native who had worked for theMontreal Expos. Duquette revived the team'sfarm system, which during his tenure produced players such asNomar Garciaparra,Carl Pavano andDavid Eckstein.[114] Duquette also spent money on free agents, notably an 8-year, $160 million deal forManny Ramírez after the 2000season.
TheRed Sox won the newly realignedAmerican League East in 1995, finishing seven games ahead of theYankees. However, they were swept in three games in theALDS by theCleveland Indians. Their postseason losing streak reached 13 straight games, dating back to the 1986 World Series.
Roger Clemens tied his major league record by fanning 20Detroit Tigers on September 18, 1996, in one of his final appearances in a Red Sox uniform. After Clemens had turned 30 and then had four seasons, 1993–96, which were by his standards mediocre at best, Duquette said the pitcher was entering "the twilight of his career".[115] Clemens went on to pitch well for another ten years and win four more Cy Young Awards.
Out of contention in 1997, the team traded closerHeathcliff Slocumb to Seattle for catching prospectJason Varitek and right-handed pitcherDerek Lowe. Prior to the start of the 1998season, the Red Sox dealt pitchersTony Armas Jr. andCarl Pavano to theMontreal Expos for pitcherPedro Martínez. Martínez became the anchor of the team's pitching staff and turned in several outstanding seasons. In 1998, theteam won the American LeagueWild Card but again lost theAmerican League Division Series to theIndians.
In 1999, Duquette called Fenway Park "economically obsolete" and, along with Red Sox ownership, led a push for a new stadium.
On the field, the1999 Red Sox were finally able to overturn their fortunes against the Indians in the American League Division Series.Cleveland took a 2–0 series lead, but Boston won the next three games behind strong pitching by Derek Lowe, Pedro Martínez and his brotherRamón Martínez. Game 4's 23–7 win by the Red Sox was the highest-scoring playoff game in major league history. Game 5 began with the Indians taking a 5–2 lead after two innings, but Pedro Martínez, nursing a shoulder injury, came on in the fourth inning and pitched six innings without allowing a hit while the team's offense rallied for a 12–8 win behind two home runs and seven runs batted in from outfielderTroy O'Leary. After the ALDS victory, the Red Sox lost theAmerican League Championship Series to the Yankees, four games to one. The one bright spot was a lopsided win for the Red Sox in the much-hyped Martinez-Clemens game.
In 2002, the Red Sox were sold by Yawkey trustee and president Harrington toNew England Sports Ventures, a consortium headed by principal ownerJohn Henry.Tom Werner served as executive chairman,Larry Lucchino served as president and CEO, and serving as vice-chairman wasLes Otten.Dan Duquette was fired as GM of the club on February 28, with former Angels GMMike Port taking the helm for the 2002 season. A week later, managerJoe Kerrigan was fired and was replaced byGrady Little.
While nearly all offseason moves were made under Duquette, such as signing outfielderJohnny Damon away from theOakland Athletics, the new ownership made additions such as outfielderCliff Floyd and relief pitcherAlan Embree. Nomar Garciaparra, Manny Ramírez, and Floyd all hit well, while Pedro Martínez put up his usual outstanding numbers. Derek Lowe, newly converted into a starter, won 20 games—becoming the first player to save 20 games and win 20 games in back-to-back seasons.
After failing to reach the playoffs, Port was replaced byYale University graduateTheo Epstein. Epstein, raised inBrookline, Massachusetts, and just 28 at the time of his hiring, became the youngest general manager in MLB history.
The2003 team was known as the "Cowboy Up" team, a nickname derived from first basemanKevin Millar's challenge to his teammates to show more determination.[116] In the2003 American League Division Series, the Red Sox rallied from a 0–2 series deficit against theAthletics to win the best-of-five series. Derek Lowe returned to his former relief pitching role to save Game 5, a 4–3 victory. The team then faced theYankees in the2003 American League Championship Series. In Game 7, Boston led 5–2 in the eighth inning, but Pedro Martínez allowed three runs to tie the game. The Red Sox could not score offMariano Rivera over the last three innings and eventually lost the game 6–5 when Yankee third basemanAaron Boone hit a solo home run offTim Wakefield. Some placed the blame for the loss on manager Grady Little[117] for failing to remove starting pitcher Martínez in the 8th inning after some observers believe he began to show signs of tiring. It was stated by Epstein that the decision to not renew Little's contract was "made on a body of work after careful contemplation of the big picture...did not depend on any one decision in any one postseason game."[118] Boston would hire formerPhiladelphia Phillies managerTerry Francona to manage the 2004 season.
During the 2003–04 offseason, the Red Sox acquired another ace pitcher,Curt Schilling, and a closer,Keith Foulke. Due to some midseason struggles with injuries, management shook up the team at the July 31 trading deadline as part of a four-team trade. The Red Sox traded the team's popular, yet oft-injured, shortstopNomar Garciaparra and outfielderMatt Murton to theChicago Cubs, and received first basemanDoug Mientkiewicz from theMinnesota Twins, and shortstopOrlando Cabrera from theMontreal Expos. In a separate transaction, the Red Sox acquired center fielderDave Roberts from theLos Angeles Dodgers. Following the trades, the club won 22 out of 25 games and qualified for the playoffs as the AL Wild Card. Players and fans affectionately referred to the players as "the Idiots", a term coined by Damon and Millar during the playoff push to describe the team's eclectic roster and devil-may-care attitude toward their supposed "curse".
Boston began the postseason by sweeping theAL West championAnaheim Angels in theALDS. In the third game of the series, David Ortiz hit a walk-off two-run homer in the 10th inning to win the game and the series to advance to a rematch of the previous year's ALCS in theALCS against theYankees. The ALCS started very poorly for the Red Sox, as they lost the first three games (including a crushing 19–8 home loss in game 3). In Game 4, the Red Sox found themselves facing elimination, trailing 4–3 in the ninth withMariano Rivera in to close for the Yankees. After Rivera issued a walk to Millar, Roberts came on to pinch run and promptly stole second base. He then scored on an RBI single byBill Mueller, sending the game into extra innings. The Red Sox went on to win the game 6–4 on a two-run home run by Ortiz in the 12th inning. The odds were still very much against the Sox in the series, but Ortiz also made the walk-off hit in the 14th inning of Game 5. The comeback continued with a victory from an injured Schilling in Game 6. Three sutures being used to stabilize the tendon in Schilling's right ankle bled throughout the game, famously making his sock appear bloody red. With it, Boston became the first team in MLB history to force a series-deciding Game 7 after trailing 3–0 in games. The Red Sox completed their historic comeback in Game 7 with a 10–3 victory over the Yankees. Ortiz began the scoring with a two-run homer. Along with his game-winning runs batted in during games 4 and 5, he was named ALCS Most Valuable Player. The Red Sox joined the1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the1975 New York Islanders as the onlyNorth American professional sports teams in history at the time to win a best-of-seven games series after being down 3–0. (The2010 Philadelphia Flyers and the2014 Los Angeles Kings would later accomplish the feat).
The Red Sox swept theSt. Louis Cardinals in the2004 World Series. The Red Sox never trailed throughout the series;Mark Bellhorn hit a game-winning home run offPesky's Pole in game 1, and Schilling pitched another bloodied-sock victory in game 2, followed by similarly masterful pitching performances by Martinez andDerek Lowe. It was the Red Sox' first championship in 86 years. Manny Ramírez was namedWorld Series MVP. To add a final, surreal touch to Boston's championship season, on the night of Game 4 atotal lunar eclipse colored the moon red overBusch Stadium. The Red Sox earned many accolades from the sports media and throughout the nation for their season, such as in December, whenSports Illustrated named the Boston Red Sox the 2004Sportsmen of the Year.
The 2005 AL East was decided on the last weekend of the season, with theYankees coming to Fenway Park with a one-game lead in the standings. The Red Sox won two of the three games to finish the season with the same record as the Yankees, 95–67. However, a playoff was not needed, as the loser of such a playoff would still make the playoffs as a wild card team. As the Yankees had won the season series, they were awarded the division title, and the Red Sox competed in the playoffs as the wild card team. Boston failed to defend their championship, and was swept in three games by the eventual2005 World Series championChicago White Sox in thefirst round of the playoffs. In 2006David Ortiz brokeJimmie Foxx's single-season Red Sox home run record by hitting 54 homers. However, Boston failed to make the playoffs after compiling a 9–21 record in the month of August due to several injuries in the club's roster.
Theo Epstein's first step toward restocking the team for 2007 was to pursue one of the most anticipated acquisitions in baseball history. On November 14, MLB announced that Boston had won the bid for the rights to negotiate a contract with JapaneseNippon Professional Baseball superstar pitcherDaisuke Matsuzaka. Boston placed a bid of $51.1 million to negotiate with Matsuzaka and completed a 6-year, $52 million contract after they were announced as the winning bid.
The Red Sox moved into first place in the AL East by mid-April and never relinquished their division lead. Initially, rookie second basemanDustin Pedroia under-performed, hitting below .200 in April. ManagerTerry Francona refused to bench him and his patience paid off as Pedroia eventually won theAL Rookie of the Year Award for his performance that season, which included 165 hits and a .317 batting average. On the mound,Josh Beckett emerged as the ace of the staff with his first 20-win season, as fellow starting pitchers Schilling, Matsuzaka, Wakefield andJulián Tavárez all struggled at times. Relief pitcherHideki Okajima, another recent arrival from the NPB, posted an ERA of 0.88 through the first half and was selected for the All-Star Game. Okajima finished the season with a 2.22 ERA and 5 saves, emerging as one of baseball's top relievers. Minor league call-upClay Buchholz provided a spark on September 1 by pitching ano-hitter in his second career start. The Red Sox captured their first AL East title since 1995.
The Red Sox swept theAngels in theALDS. Facing theCleveland Indians in theALCS, the Red Sox fell in games 2, 3, and 4 before Beckett picked up his second victory of the series in game 5, starting a comeback. The Red Sox captured their twelfth American League pennant by outscoring the Indians 30–5 over the final three games. The Red Sox faced theColorado Rockies in the2007 World Series, and swept the Rockies in four games. In Game 4, Wakefield gave up his spot in the rotation to a recoveredJon Lester, who gave the Red Sox an impressive start, pitching5+2⁄3 shutout innings. Key home runs late in the game by third basemanMike Lowell and pinch-hitterBobby Kielty secured the Red Sox' second title in four years, as Lowell was named Most Valuable Player in the World Series.
The Red Sox began their season by participating in the third opening day game in MLB history to be played in Japan, where they defeated theOakland A's in theTokyo Dome. On May 19, Jon Lester threw the 18th no-hitter in team history, defeating theKansas City Royals 7–0. Down the stretch, outfielderManny Ramirez became embroiled in controversy surrounding public incidents with fellow players and other team employees, as well as criticism of ownership and not playing, which some claimed was due to laziness and nonexistent injuries. The front office decided to move the disgruntled outfielder at the July 31 trade deadline, shipping him to the Dodgers in a three-way deal with thePittsburgh Pirates that landed themJason Bay to replace him in left field.[119] With Ramirez gone, and Bay providing a new spark in the lineup, the Red Sox improved vastly and made the playoffs as the AL Wild Card. The Red Sox defeated theAngels in the2008 ALDS three games to one. The Red Sox then took on their AL East rivals theTampa Bay Rays in theALCS. Down three games to one in the 5th game of the ALCS, Boston mounted a comeback from trailing 7–0 in the 7th inning to win 8–7.[120][121] They tied the series at three games apiece with a Game 6 victory before losing Game 7, 3–1, thus becoming the eighth team in a row since 2000 to fail to repeat as World Series champions.
The Red Sox returned to postseason play in 2009 but were swept in the ALDS by theLos Angeles Angels. In 2010, they placed third in the division and failed to make the playoffs. In 2011, theRed Sox collapsed, becoming the first team in MLB history to blow a 9-game lead in the division heading into September, going 7–20 in the final month and failing again to make the playoffs. In December 2011,Bobby Valentine was hired as a new manager. The 2012 season marked the centennial ofFenway Park, and on April 20, past and present Red Sox players and coaches assembled to celebrate the park's anniversary. However, the collapse that they endured in September 2011 carried over into the season. The Red Sox struggled throughout the season due to injuries, inconsistent play, and off-field news. They finished 69–93 for their first losing season since 1997 and their worst season since 1965.
Boston, which finished last in the American League East with a 69–93 record in 2012 (26 games behind theYankees), became the 11th team in major league history to go from worst in the division to first the next season when it clinched the A.L. East division title on September 20, 2013.[122] Many credit the team's turnaround with the hiring of managerJohn Farrell, the former Red Sox pitching coach under Terry Francona from 2007 to 2010. As a former member of the staff, he had the respect of influential players such as Lester, Pedroia, and Ortiz.[123] But there were other moves made in the offseason by general managerBen Cherington who targeted "character" players to fill the team's needs. These acquisitions included veteran catcherDavid Ross,Jonny Gomes,Mike Napoli andShane Victorino. While some questioned these players as "re-treads", it was clear that Cherington was trying to move past 2011–2012 by bringing in "clubhouse players". Essential to the turnaround, however, was the pitching staff. With ace veteranJohn Lackey coming offTommy John surgery and both Jon Lester andClay Buchholz returning to their prior form, this allowed the team to rely less on their bullpen. Everything seemed in danger of collapsing, however, when bothclosers,Joel Hanrahan andAndrew Bailey, went down early with season-ending injuries. Farrell gave the closing job toKoji Uehara on June 21 who delivered with a 1.09 ERA and an MLB record 0.565WHIP.[124] On September 11, the 37-year-old right-hander set a new Red Sox record when he retired 33 straight batters.[125] Other reasons include the trade deadline acquisition of pitcherJake Peavy when the Red Sox were in second place in the AL East, the depth of the bench with players such asMike Carp and rookiesJackie Bradley Jr. andXander Bogaerts, and the re-emergence of players such asWill Middlebrooks andDaniel Nava.[123] On September 28, 2013, the team securedhome field advantage throughout the American League playoffs when their closest competition, theOakland Athletics, lost.[126] The next day, the team finished the season going 97–65, the best record in the American League and tied with theSt. Louis Cardinals for the best record in baseball.[127] They proceeded to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the2013 World Series, four games to two.[128] The Red Sox became the first team since the1991 Minnesota Twins to win the World Series a year after finishing in last place, and the second overall. The 2012 Red Sox's .426 winning percentage was the lowest for a team in a season prior to a World Series championship.
Throughout the season, the Red Sox players and organization formed a close association with the city ofBoston and its people in relation to theBoston Marathon bombing that occurred on April 15, 2013. On April 20, the day after the alleged bombers were captured, David Ortiz gave a pre-game speech following a ceremony honoring the victims and the local law enforcement, in which he stated, "This is our fucking city! And nobody is going to dictate our freedom! Stay strong!" For the entirety of the season, the team wore an additional arm patch that exhibited the Red Sox "B" logo and the word "Strong" within a blue circle. The team also hung up in thedugout a custom jersey that read "Boston Strong" with the number 617, representing the city of Boston'sarea code. On many occasions during the season, victims of the attack and law enforcement involved were given the honor of throwing the ceremonialfirst pitch. Following their victory in the 2013 World Series, the first one clinched at home in Fenway Park since 1918, Red Sox players Jonny Gomes and Jarrod Saltalamacchia performed a ceremony during the team's traditionalduck boat victoryparade, in which they placed theWorld Series trophy and the custom 617 jersey on theBoston Marathon finish line onBoylston Street, followed by a moment of silence and the singing of "God Bless America". This ceremony helped the city "reclaim" its spirit that was lost after the bombing.[129] Overall, the Red Sox team and organization played a role in the healing process after the tragedy, owing to the team's unifying effect on the city.[130][131][132][133]
Following the 2013 championship, the team finished last in the AL East during 2014 with a record of 71–91, and again in 2015 with a record of 78–84. On September 12, 2015,David Ortiz hit his 500th career home run offMatt Moore inTropicana Field becoming the 27th player in MLB history to achieve that prestigious milestone; in November 2015, Ortiz announced that the 2016 season was to be his last.[134]
The Red Sox had a record of 93–69 and won their division in 2016, with six American League All-Stars, the ALCy Young Award winner inRick Porcello, and the runner-up for the ALMost Valuable Player Award,Mookie Betts. RookieAndrew Benintendi established himself in the Red Sox outfield, andSteven Wright emerged as one of the year's biggest surprises. The Red Sox grabbed the lead in the AL East early and held on to it throughout the year, which included many teams honoring Ortiz throughout the season. Despite the success, the team lost five of their last six games of the regular season and were swept in theALDS by the eventual American League ChampionCleveland Indians.[135] The Red Sox once again finished with a record of 93–69 in 2017 and repeated as division champions. The team went 5–5 in their last ten regular-season games and were eliminated by theHouston Astros in theALDS in four games.[136] The Red Sox subsequently fired their manager,John Farrell, and hiredAlex Cora, signing him to a three-year deal.[137]
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The Red Sox finished with a 108–54 (.667) record, winning theAmerican League East division title for the third consecutive season, eight games ahead of the second-placeNew York Yankees,[138] and were the first team to clinch a berth in the2018 postseason.[139] The Red Sox surpassed the 100-win mark for the first time since1946, broke the franchise record of 105 wins that had been set in1912, and won the most games of any MLB team since the2001 Seattle Mariners won 116.[140] The 2018 Red Sox were led by All-StarsMookie Betts,J. D. Martinez,Chris Sale, andCraig Kimbrel. Betts led baseball in batting average and slugging percentage, while Martinez led in runs batted in. Sale tossed only 158 innings due to a shoulder injury late in the year, but was otherwise superb, posting a 2.11earned run average to go along with 237strikeouts. Kimbrelsaved 42 games and struck out 96 batters.
The Red Sox entered the postseason as the top seed in theAmerican League, and defeated the New York Yankees (100–62) in four games in theDivision Series.[141] Next, they defeated the defending championHouston Astros (103–59) in five games in theLeague Championship Series.[142] Boston then defeated theLos Angeles Dodgers (92–71) in five games in theWorld Series, for the team's fourth championship in 15 years and ninth in franchise history. The team's motto during the season, "do damage",[143] became "damage done" upon their victory.[144]
Based on these exploits, the team is considered the best MLB team of the 2010s, one of the best Red Sox teams ever, and one of the best baseball teams since the1998 New York Yankees.[145][146][147][148]
Despite retaining most players from the 2018 championship team, the2019 Red Sox won 24 fewer games, finishing third in the division and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2015. President of Baseball OperationsDave Dombrowski was dismissed following a September loss to the Yankees.[149] On October 28, the Red Sox hiredChaim Bloom as his replacement on a five-year contract, with the title of Chief Baseball Officer.[150]
On January 7, 2020, it was reported inThe Athletic that the Red Sox had used their video replay room to steal signs during their2018 season.[151] On January 15, the Red Sox and managerAlex Cora agreed to mutually part ways after he was named in the MLB's report about theHouston Astros sign stealing scandal, which occurred during his tenure as bench coach with the2017 Astros.[152]Ron Roenicke was subsequently named Boston's interim manager.[153] On February 10, a trade ofMookie Betts andDavid Price to theLos Angeles Dodgers was made official,[154] in a move seen as a salary dump by analysts,[155] although denied by Red Sox executives.[156] In March, the start of the MLB season was indefinitely postponed, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. In April, the MLB's investigation into 2018 sign-stealing resulted in a finding of improper actions by the team's replay operator, who as a result was suspended for the 2020 season, and the team forfeited their second-round selection in the2020 MLB draft.[157] The "interim" tag was subsequently removed from Roenicke's title.[158] The team struggled throughout their abbreviated 60-game regular season, contested July 24 through September 27, finishing in last place in the AL East division, with a record of 24–36.[159] Prior to the final regular season game, management announced that Roenicke would not return as manager for the 2021 season.[160]
Alex Cora returned as manager for the2021 season,[161] with the team finishing at 92–70 and qualifying for the postseason as the fourth seed in the AL.[162] The Red Sox defeated the Yankees in theAL Wild Card Game,[163] and defeated the Rays in theDivision Series,[164] but were eliminated by the Astros in theLeague Championship Series.[165] The 2022 season was much less successful, with the team finishing in last place within their division with a 78–84 record, the first losing record for the team in a 162-game season since 2015.[166] In 2023, the Red Sox once again finished in last place in their division with a 78–84 record.[167]
Bloom was fired on September 14, 2023.[168][169] His replacement,Craig Breslow, an executive with the Chicago Cubs and former pitcher for the Red Sox, was hired on October 25, 2023.[170]
The Red Sox have played their home games atFenway Park since1912, making the ballpark theoldest active ballpark in Major League Baseball, as well as the oldest active venue across the four major North American sports leagues (MLB,NBA,NFL, andNHL). Previously, the team played at theHuntington Avenue Grounds from its inception in1901 through1911.
Between May 15, 2003, and April 10, 2013, the Red Sox sold out every home game at Fenway park. The 820-game streak is a record for all major American sports, narrowly passing thePortland Trail Blazers record of 814 between 1977 and 1995.[171][172] The previous major league baseball record had been held by the Cleveland Indians, who sold out 455 games between June 12, 1995, and April 2, 2001.[173]
| Year | Total attendance | Game average | League rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,585,895 | 31,925 | 6th |
| 2001 | 2,625,333 | 32,412 | 6th |
| 2002 | 2,650,862 | 32,727 | 4th |
| 2003 | 2,724,165 | 33,632 | 4th |
| 2004 | 2,837,294 | 35,028 | 4th |
| 2005 | 2,847,888 | 35,159 | 3rd |
| 2006 | 2,930,588 | 36,180 | 4th |
| 2007 | 2,970,755 | 36,676 | 4th |
| 2008 | 3,048,250 | 37,633 | 4th |
| 2009 | 3,062,699 | 37,811 | 3rd |
| 2010 | 3,046,445 | 37,610 | 4th |
| 2011 | 3,054,001 | 37,704 | 4th |
| 2012 | 3,043,003 | 37,568 | 4th |
| 2013 | 2,833,333 | 34,979 | 5th |
| 2014 | 2,956,089 | 36,495 | 3rd |
| 2015 | 2,880,694 | 35,564 | 3rd |
| 2016 | 2,955,434 | 36,487 | 4th |
| 2017 | 2,917,678 | 36,021 | 4th |
| 2018 | 2,895,575 | 35,748 | 4th |
| 2019 | 2,915,502 | 35,994 | 3rd |
| 2020† | — | — | — |
| 2021† | 1,725,323 | 21,300 | 4th |
| 2022 | 2,625,089 | 32,409 | 4th |
| 2023 | 2,672,130 | 32,989 | 5th |
† Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was contestedbehind closed doors, and some 2021 games were contested with limited attendance per local ordinances.
Source:[174]
The franchise's firstspring training was held inCharlottesville, Virginia, in 1901, when the team was known as the Boston Americans. Since 1993, the city ofFort Myers, Florida, has hosted Boston's spring training, first atCity of Palms Park, and since 2012 atJetBlue Park atFenway South.
In October 2008, theLee County, Florida, Board of Commissioners approved an agreement with the Red Sox to build a new spring training facility for the team. In November 2008, the Red Sox signed an agreement with Lee County intended to keep their spring training home in the Fort Myers area for 30 more years.[175] In April 2009, the Red Sox announced that the new stadium would be located on a 126-acre (51 ha) lot north ofSouthwest Florida International Airport.[176] In March 2011, the team andJetBlue Airlines officials announced that the new field would be named JetBlue Park at Fenway South.[177]
JetBlue Park opened in March 2012.[178] Many characteristics of the stadium have been taken fromFenway Park, including a 37-foot (11 m)Green Monster wall in left field. Included in the wall is a restored version of the manual scoreboard that was housed at Fenway for almost 30 years, beginning in the 1970s.[179] The field dimensions are identical to those at Fenway.[179]
The unofficial beginning of the spring training season for the Red Sox is Truck Day, the day atractor-trailer filled with equipment leaves Fenway Park bound for the team's spring training facility in Florida.[180][181] 2021's Truck Day was February 8.[182]
The Red Sox andNew York Yankees have been rivals for more than 100 years.[183]The rivalry is often considered one of the oldest, fiercest and most famousrivalries in professional sports.[5][6][7]
The rivalry is often a heated subject of conversation in theNortheastern United States.[184] Since the1995 inception of thewild card team and an addedDivision Series, every postseason except for2014 and2023 has featured one or both of theAmerican League East rivals. The two teams have squared off in theAmerican League Championship Series (ALCS) three times, with the Yankees winning in1999 and2003 and the Sox winning in2004.[185][186] The teams have faced off in oneAmerican League Division Series (ALDS);2018, won by the Red Sox in four games. The teams have played oneAmerican League Wild Card Game on October 5, 2021, which the Red Sox won as well.
The teams have twice met in the last regular-season series to decide the league title, in 1904 (which the Red Sox won) and 1949 (which the Yankees won).[185] The teams also finished tied for first in 1978, when the Yankees won a high-profileone-game playoff for the division title.[187] The 1978 division race is memorable for the Red Sox having held a 14-game lead over the Yankees more than halfway through the season.[188] In 2003, The Red Sox lost in Game 7 of the ALCS onAaron Boone'swalk-off home run.[189] Similarly, the 2004 ALCS is notable for the Yankees leading 3 games to 0 and ultimately losing the best-of-seven series.[190] The Red Sox comeback was the first time in major league history that a team came back from an 0–3 deficit to win a series.[191]
The rivalry is often termed "the best"[192] and "greatest rivalry in all of sports."[193] Games between the two teams often generate a great deal of interest and get extensive media coverage, including being broadcast on national television.[194][195]
The rivalry between Boston and theTampa Bay Rays developed in the late 2000s, after the two clubs had their first postseason meeting in the2008 ALCS. Since then, both teams have won the American League East division a combined seven times. While the rivalry is more recent than Sox' rivalry with the Yankees, it has been called one of the most competitive in modern baseball.[196][197][198]
The teams have met three times in the MLB postseason, with the Rays winning the 2008 ALCS and the Red Sox winning the2013 ALDS and2021 ALDS.
Theflagshipradio station of the Red Sox isWEEI-FM 93.7.Joe Castiglione has broadcast Red Sox games since 1983 (initially assistingKen Coleman) and has been the leadplay-by-play announcer since 1993.Tim Neverett worked with him from 2016 through 2018, but in 2019, WEEI opted for a more conversational format with a variety of commentators (see the above link) alongside Castiglione. Former Red Sox playerLou Merloni has provided color commentary since 2013. Castiglione's predecessors includeCurt Gowdy andNed Martin. He has also worked with play-by-play veterans Bob Starr andJerry Trupiano. Many stations throughoutNew England and beyond carry the broadcasts. On August 26, 2024, Rylee Pay andEmma Tiedemann became the first pair of women to call a Red Sox game.[199]
All Red Sox telecasts not shown nationally are available onNew England Sports Network (NESN), withDave O'Brien calling play-by-play, andKevin Youkilis,Kevin Millar andWill Middlebrooks splitting color commentary duties.Jerry Remy, a former Red Sox second baseman, served ascolor analyst from 1988 up until his death in 2021. Remy hadlung cancer, and would at times step away from broadcasting duties to focus on his health. Former Red Sox pitcherDennis Eckersley worked as a color commentator for NESN until his retirement following the 2022 season. Several local television stations, includingthe original WHDH-TV,WNAC-TV (now the currentWHDH),WBZ-TV,WSBK-TV,WLVI,WABU, andWFXT, broadcast Red Sox games prior to 2006, when NESN became the exclusive home of the team.
The integration of music into the culture of the Red Sox dates back to the Americans era, which saw the first use of the popular 1902 showtuneTessie as a rallying cry by fans.[200] The tune saw a resurgence in popularity when a new version by Boston area bandThe Dropkick Murphys was featured in the 2005 filmFever Pitch, which tells the story of an obsessive Red Sox fan.[201] The song is frequently played after home wins and inspired the name of Red Sox mascotWally the Green Monster's "sister"Tessie.[202] Their song "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" was used to signify the entrance of Boston'sclosing pitcher.
"Dirty Water" byThe Standells is played immediately after the final play of each Red Sox home win, followed by the Dropkick Murphys' "Tessie"
Another song associated with the team and its fan base isNeil Diamond's 1969 single "Sweet Caroline". The song was first introduced to Fenway Park in 1997. By 2002, its play had been established as a nightly occurrence. It continues to be played at every home game during the 8th inning, sung along to by those in attendance.[203] In 2007, Diamond revealed that the song was written forCaroline Kennedy, American diplomat and daughter of Boston iconPresidentJohn F. Kennedy. Caroline Kennedy's great-grandfather,John F. Fitzgerald, threw Fenway Park's first-ever ceremonial opening pitch on April 20, 1912.[200] When Diamond was named aKennedy Center Honors recipient in 2011, Red Sox executive assistant Claire Durant arranged for 80 Red Sox fans to travel to Washington for the ceremony, which culminated in them singing the song behindSmokey Robinson onstage.[204]
For major MLB awards, voted by theBaseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA), Red Sox players have won theMVP Award 12 times, most recently byMookie Betts in 2018; theCy Young Award seven times, most recently byRick Porcello in 2016;Rookie of the Year six times, most recently byDustin Pedroia in 2007; andManager of the Year twice, most recently byJimy Williams in 1999.
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Previously, the Red Sox published three official requirements for a player to have his number retired on their website and in their annual media guides. The requirements were as follows:[205]
These requirements were reconsidered after the election ofCarlton Fisk to the Hall of Fame in 2000; who met the first two requirements but played the second half of his career with theChicago White Sox. As a means of meeting the criteria, then-GM Dan Duquette hired Fisk for one day as a special assistant, which allowed Fisk to technically finish his career with the Red Sox.[206]
In 2008, the Red Sox made an "exception" by retiring number 6 forJohnny Pesky. Pesky neither spent ten years as a player nor was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame; however, Red Sox ownership cited "... his versatility of his contributions—on the field, off the field, [and] in the dugout ...", including as a manager, scout, and special instructor and decided that the honor had been well-earned.[207] Pesky spent 57 years with the Red Sox organization; as a minor league player (1940–1941), major league player (1942, 1946–1952), minor league manager (1961–1962, 1990), major league manager (1963–1964, 1980), broadcaster (1969–1974), major league coach (1975–1984), and as a special instructor and assistant general manager (1985–2012).
In 2015, the Red Sox chose to forgo the official criteria and retirePedro Martínez' number 45. Martínez only spent seven of his 18 seasons in Boston. In justifying the number's retirement, Red Sox principal owner John Henry stated, "To be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame upon his first year of eligibility speaks volumes regarding Pedro's outstanding career, and is a testament to the respect and admiration so many in baseball have for him."[208] After announcing Martínez's number retirement, the official criteria no longer appeared on the team website[209] nor future media guides.[210][211]
In 2017, less than eight months after he played the final game of his illustrious career,David Ortiz had his number 34 retired by the Red Sox. Ortiz was elected to theHall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2022.[212] To date, Ortiz is the only Red Sox player to have been on the active playoff roster of threeWorld Series championship teams (2004,2007,2013) since the issuance of jersey numbers starting in 1931.[213]
The number 42 was officially retired byMajor League Baseball in 1997, butMo Vaughn was one of a handful of players to continue wearing number 42 due to agrandfather clause. He last wore it for the team in 1998. In commemoration of Jackie Robinson Day, MLB invited players to wear the number 42 for games played on April 15, whichCoco Crisp (CF),David Ortiz (DH), andDeMarlo Hale (Coach) did in 2007 and again in 2008. Starting in 2009, MLB had all uniformed players for all teams wear number 42 for Jackie Robinson Day.
While not officially retired, the Red Sox have not issued several numbers since the departure of prominent figures who wore them, specifically:[214]
There has also been debate in Boston media circles and among fans about the potential retiring ofTony Conigliaro's number25.[215][216] Nonetheless, since Conigliaro's last full season in Boston, 1970, the number has never been taken out of circulation and issued to multiple players—notablyTroy O'Leary from 1995 to 2001—along with coach Dwight Evans in 2002 and manager Bobby Valentine in 2012.[214]
Until the late 1990s, the numbers originally hung on the right-field facade in the order in which they were retired: 9–4–1–8. It was pointed out that the numbers, when read as a date (9/4/18), marked the eve of the first game of the1918 World Series, the last championship series that the Red Sox won before 2004. After the facade was repainted, the numbers were rearranged in numerical order. In 2012, the numbers were rearranged again in chronological order of retirement (9, 4, 1, 8, 27, 6, 14) followed by Robinson's 42. As additional numbers were retired, Robinson's 42 was moved to the right so it remains the right-most number hanging.
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Several baseball writers, professionally based in Boston while writing about the Red Sox, have been recipients of theBBWAA Career Excellence Award (formerly the J. G. Taylor Spink Award), given for "meritorious contributions to baseball writing".[217] Each of these writers spent at least part of their career withThe Boston Globe.
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Since 1995, the team has maintained its own hall of fame, recognizing distinguished careers of former uniformed and non-uniformed team personnel. Red Sox personnel inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame are automatically inducted to the team's hall of fame. Other honorees are chosen via a 15-member selection committee.
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There have been 18no-hitters thrown in Red Sox history, most recently byJon Lester on May 19, 2008, against theKansas City Royals. The franchise's first no-hitter is also the onlyperfect game in franchise history so far, thrown byCy Young on May 5, 1904, against thePhiladelphia Athletics.
The first Red Sox rookie to throw a no-hitter was Clay Buchholz, doing so against the Baltimore Orioles on September 1, 2007, in his second Major League start.[223]
Red Sox batters havehit for the cycle 23 times in franchise history, tied for second most (with theSan Francisco Giants) for all franchises behind thePittsburgh Pirates, who have hit 24. On October 8, 2018,Brock Holt became the first player in MLB history to hit for the cycle in the postseason, doing so in a 16–1 win over the New York Yankees inGame 3 of the 2018 American League Division Series.
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The following is a list of Boston Red Sox players who have hit for the cycle:[224]
Since the 2021 season, Boston'sfarm system has consisted of sixminor league affiliates, fielding seven minor league teams (the Red Sox have two teams in theDominican Summer League).[225][226]
| Level | Team | League | Location | Distance to Fenway Park |
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| Triple-A | Worcester Red Sox | International League | Worcester, Massachusetts | 45 miles (72 km) |
| Double-A | Portland Sea Dogs | Eastern League | Portland, Maine | 107 miles (172 km) |
| High-A | Greenville Drive | South Atlantic League | Greenville, South Carolina | 932 miles (1,500 km) |
| Single-A | Salem Red Sox | Carolina League | Salem, Virginia | 677 miles (1,090 km) |
| Rookie | FCL Red Sox | Florida Complex League | Fort Myers, Florida | 1,247 miles (2,007 km) |
| DSL Red Sox Blue | Dominican Summer League | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 1,650 miles (2,660 km) | |
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Ever since 1933, when the Red Sox first put a red 'B' on a navy cap and added "Red Sox" in their distinctive font on the front of their jerseys, Boston hasn't changed its uniforms much.
Of all the sights and sounds that fans look forward to at Fenway Park, nothing makes Red Sox Nation happier than the playing of a song that dates back nearly 40 years...With the refrain 'Well I love that dirty water; Oh, Boston, you're my home,' the sound of the Standells' 'Dirty Water' is the recognized Red Sox victory anthem. The song blares over the speakers immediately after every Boston victory and has become one of the proud Fenway Park traditions.
Yankees fans had taunted the Red Sox all weekend with chants of '1918, 1918!'—the last time Boston won the World Series—and the Red Sox are not allowed by long-suffering New Englanders to forget the pain they have wrought with years of excruciating near misses.
The 2004 Yankees ... are the only baseball team in history to lead a postseason series 3–0 and not win it.
There's a never before seen member of the Red Sox family that has perimeter and diehard Red Sox fans alike asking, "wait, who?" Her name is Tessie, and apparently, she's Wally the Green Monster's sister. In a video posted by the team, Wally is seen heading home to visit his parents at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers when Tessie runs out onto the field. Together — to a special Dropkick Murphys track — the pair enjoy some sibling time at the park. But when Wally gets ready to head back to Boston, it's decided that Tessie's coming too.
| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by None (first) | World Series champions Boston Americans 1903 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions Boston Red Sox 1912 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1915–1916 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 1918 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Series champions 2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 1903–1904 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 1912 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 1915–1916 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 1918 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 1946 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 1967 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 1975 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 1986 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | American League champions 2018 | Succeeded by |
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