Red Sox: 10 best MLB postseason performances in franchise history

2. David Ortiz – ’13 World Series

For all the great moments David Ortiz provided us with, his performance in the 2013 Fall Classic was one of the best. A dominant offensive force from beginning to end, Ortiz put up a historic display in the batters box rivaled only by a select few.

Ortiz was such a force in the 2013 World Series that by the end it, the St. Louis Cardinals seemed all but reserved to the fact that they wouldn’t be getting the man they called “Big Papi” out even if they tried pitching to him. Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny had Ortiz intentionally walked 3 times in the deciding Game 6 alone.

Over the course of the series, Ortiz posted multiple hits in 4 of the 6 games, hit 2 home runs, 2 doubles, walked a total of 8 times (4 times intentionally), recorded 6 RBIs, 11 hits, scored 7 runs, and posted a line of .688/.760/1.188. Needless to say, these numbers garnered Ortiz with the World Series MVP award.

Ortiz’ 2013 performance was not just historic in a baseball sense. It became significant for the entire city of Boston as his prowess at the plate led the Sox to a championship their city desperately needed following the marathon bombings that previous April. Ortiz did his share to help this franchise to their 8th World Series title thanks to those gaudy numbers, but more importantly – he helped the city heal when they needed it most.