Boston Red Sox 20 game losers
By Rick McNair
Two in 1906
The first name that jumps out for a Red Sox (Americans) team that posted only 49 wins is Cy Young. Young was coming off a rare losing season in 1905 when he finished 18-19, but did have a very respectable 1.82 ERA. In 1906 he sunk to 13-21 and at 39-years-old the rumor mill was ripe for the end of the line for Young. Not so.
Young rebounded the next two seasons going 21-15 and 21-11. The 21-11 season is notable for a 1.26 ERA that was the lowest of his career. The Red Sox rewarded Young by trading him to the Cleveland Indians (Naps) in the off-season.
Young is tied with Roger Clemens on the all-time Red Sox wins list at 191 and also authored the only perfect game in Red Sox history – which also happened to be the first in the American League.
Joe Harris tied Young for league and team leadership in losses with his 2-21 record. The Melrose, Massachusetts-born right-hander had a 3.52 ERA for the year and his 21 losses became the centerpiece for a career record of 3-30.
Pitch counts? On September 1st in 1906, Harris went 24 innings against the Athletics and Jack Coombs. Coombs also went the distance and became the winning pitcher when the A’s scored three runs in the 24th. Harris also suffered what 20 games losses usually suffer and that is a lack of support. In six losses the Red Sox scored only a single run. In eight other losses the Red Sox were shut out.
Next: Two more in 1930