Red Sox: Top-5 shortstops in franchise history
Joe Cronin: 1935-1945
A breakout star with the Washington Senators, Cronin was able to put up some of the best numbers among shortstops in franchise history despite playing the tail end of his career with the Red Sox. Posting an impressive .300/.394/.484 slash line during his time in Boston, Cronin was a 5-time all-star and had his number 4 retired by the team.
He was also elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956, after spending 24 seasons with the Red Sox as a player/manager, manager and general manager. A legend on the field, he also holds the team record for wins as a manager with 1071. His best season in a Red Sox uniform came in 1938 when he hit .325 with a .964 OPS, with 17 home runs, 94 RBI, and a league-leading 51 doubles. His performance earned him a top-10 finish in MVP voting and an all-star nod.
Cronin’s career on the field is among the best of any shortstop’s in team history. His 737 RBI and 122 wRC+ have held up at second all-time among Red Sox shortstops.