Boston Red Sox All-Stars: Building the Best Red Sox All-Time Lineup

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Boston Red Sox All-Stars: Building the Best Red Sox All-Time Lineup

The Boston Red Sox may not have always been a dominant force on the baseball field—perhaps you’ve heard of the infamous “Curse of the Bambino” and all that. Yet, even during their roughest patches, the franchise has consistently produced extraordinary talents. In fact, despite being on the losing end of one of the most notorious deals in sports history, the Red Sox All-Time team is a collection of MLB legends spanning their entire existence. This lineup boasts impressive depth: it features seven Hall of Famers among its starting nine, a few likely future inductees, and another waiting in the bullpen, alongside a manager who also has a shot at Cooperstown.

Manager: Terry Francona

Between Ed Barrow’s 1918 championship and the 2004 appointment of Terry Francona, the Red Sox went through 35 managerial changes. That’s less than two-and-a-half years per manager. Francona took the reins and led the team to success where his predecessor, Grady Little, could not, claiming another World Series title in 2007. He ranks second in games managed and wins for the Red Sox, with no one else with his tenure close to him in terms of winning percentage. Francona’s 28 postseason victories are more than twice that of the next-best manager, and he is one of just two to win multiple championships.

Starting Pitcher: Cy Young

The Red Sox can boast three of the greatest pitchers in MLB history. Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez combined for ten Cy Young awards, but the award is named after Boston’s first ace. Cy Young had his finest years in Beantown, amassing a franchise-record 192 wins over eight seasons, an impressive 2.00 ERA, and 275 complete games, all while guiding them to their first World Series title in 1903. Young was the top player on the team by wins above replacement in seven of his eight seasons in Boston and is the all-time leader in MLB for both pitcher WAR and traditional wins.

Reliever/Closer: Jonathan Papelbon

The Red Sox drafted Jonathan Papelbon in 2003 as a starting pitcher. He stayed in that role for a few years before making a permanent shift to relief in 2005. He finished his rookie season with a 2.65 ERA and secured the closer role in 2006, a position he never relinquished during his time with the Sox. Papelbon was named to four consecutive All-Star teams from 2006 to 2009 and allowed only seven runs in his debut season. He holds the all-time saves record for the Red Sox, with 219—87 more than Bob Stanley.

Catcher: Carlton Fisk

Carlton Fisk is responsible for one of the most iconic home runs ever hit. His walk-off blast in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, where he famously waved a fly ball fair, is a legendary moment in Red Sox and MLB history. The ball quickly cleared the Green Monster, and Fisk made the most of that fleeting moment. Brief yet unforgettable: that captures both the highlight he’s most known for and his career in Boston. Although Fisk spent more time with the White Sox, he hit .284/.356/.481 and accumulated most of his career value while donning a Red Sox uniform.

1B: Jimmie Foxx

Jimmie Foxx didn’t start his MLB career in Boston; he played 11 seasons with the Athletics before joining the Red Sox in 1936. His seven years in Boston were spectacular, as he posted an astounding .320/.429/.605 batting average, hitting 222 of his 524 career home runs. Foxx won his third and final MVP in 1938 with a line of .349/.462/.704, which included 50 home runs and an MLB-leading 175 RBIs along with 119 walks. In Red Sox history, he ranks second in on-base percentage, tied for fifth in batting average, third in OPS+, and ninth in home runs, despite his relatively short tenure with the team.

2B: Dustin Pedroia

Dustin Pedroia was at the forefront of the conflict between traditional scouting and the analytics movement, shaping the modern front offices. He was often deemed too short—his listed height being … generous—to excel as a hitter based on his minor-league stats, compounded by concerns over his arm and range. However, projection systems told a different story, labeling him as a “Laser Show.” Pedroia compensated for his limited range with exceptional defensive positioning, earning four Gold Gloves. His tenacious style of play may have cut his career short, but his .299/.365/.439 batting line and three World Series rings are a testament to his skill.

3B: Wade Boggs

In Wade Boggs’ 11 years with the Red Sox, no MLB player matched his batting average of .338, on-base percentage of .428, or total of 422 doubles. jili free bonus Among players with at least 7,000 plate appearances during those years—Boggs logged 7,323—he had the fewest strikeouts (470), and even remains in the top 10 if you lower that bar to 5,000 plate appearances. Boggs won five batting titles with the Sox, five Silver Slugger awards, and made eight All-Star teams. While he didn’t hit for power, it wasn’t necessary: his 71 WAR ranked third-best among all MLB hitters from 1982 to 1992.

SS: Nomar Garciaparra

If not for injuries, Nomar Garciaparra would likely be enshrined in Cooperstown. “Nomah” was a star in the Red Sox lineup from 1998 to 2003, winning consecutive batting titles in 1999 (.357) and 2000 ( jili demo slots.372). An Achilles injury in the spring of 2004 derailed his trajectory, and the Red Sox traded him to the Cubs to bolster their defense, which ultimately contributed to their first World Series title in 86 years. Garciaparra reunited with the Red Sox in 2014 for induction into the team’s Hall of Fame.

OF: Ted Williams

Ted Williams is not just an inner-circle great for the Red Sox, but for all of baseball. He hit 521 home runs, leading the Sox in this category. Williams ranks fourth in MLB for walks and won two MVP awards. Incredibly, at age 41, he batted .316/. niceph vip451/.645. He achieved a remarkable .406 batting average in 1941, leading the American League in all three major batting statistics on five occasions, despite missing three prime seasons due to military service. MLB’s greatest stars flocked to him during the 1999 All-Star Game festivities at Fenway, a testament to his legendary status.

OF: Carl Yastrzemski

In 1961, Carl Yastrzemski faced what seemed an impossible task: replacing Ted Williams, who occupied left field from 1939 to 1960. From 1963 to 1970, Yaz hit .301/.402/.513, all the while contributing during a time when offensive production was so poor that MLB lowered the mound. Yastrzemski won the Triple Crown in 1967 with a batting line of .326/.418/.622, hitting 44 home runs and driving in 121 RBIs, while the AL batting average was just .236. Although he didn’t end the Curse of the Bambino, 1967 marked Boston’s “Impossible Dream” season, with their first winning record since 1958 and first World Series since 1946 90 jili casino.

OF: Mookie Betts

Producing talents like Williams or Yastrzemski is rare, and combining it with the prowess of Babe Ruth is even more unique. Mookie Betts was cherished by the Red Sox front office for his wrist speed, athleticism, and reaction times—he was also a promising high-school basketball player and bowler, aside from being a baseball star ph jili casino. Betts transitioned to the outfield in the minors and earned four Gold Gloves in right field for the Red Sox, as well as an MVP award. His career is still underway, and with Boston’s All-Time team being so stacked, he could easily be recognized as the second-best position player on this list when all is said and done.

DH: David Ortiz

David Ortiz raised discussions about the measurability of clutch hitting. He became Boston’s full-time designated hitter in 2003, hitting a career-high 31 home runs, a number he would surpass year after year. Ortiz spent 14 seasons with the Red Sox, posting a .290/.386/.570 batting line with 483 home runs, second only to Ted Williams in franchise history. He was instrumental in the 2004, 2007, and 2013 World Series victories. In his final season at age 40, Ortiz batted .315/.401/.620, leading MLB in slugging percentage, OPS, and doubles with 48.