Red Sox: 10 best MLB postseason performances in franchise history

5. Josh Beckett – ’07 Playoffs

Josh Beckett’s Red Sox career was one of many highs and many lows. Although the relationship ended ugly, we can still look back on Beckett and recall what he accomplished in 2007 fondly. Without Beckett the Red Sox do not win the World Series in 2007. Plain and simple.

They ran through the American League that year and Beckett was a huge part in that as he went 20-7, posted a 3.27 ERA, tossed 200 IP, struck out 194 batters, and finished 2nd in Cy Young voting.

The ace of the staff, Beckett shoved in the playoffs for the Sox that fall. In Game 1 of the ALDS against Anaheim he casually tossed a complete game shutout to set the tone for the rest of his fall campaign. His following 3 performances would be almost as good, with his ALCS Game 5 performance in Cleveland being the moment we’ll remember most from this team’s World Series run.

Heading into Game 5 in Cleveland, the Red Sox had only won Beckett’s Game 1 start and faced a daunting 3-1 hole in the series. Prior to the game itself, the Indians even brought in Beckett’s ex-girlfriend to sing the national anthem. An incident the Indians would later deem a “coincidence”. OK.

However, that act of gamesmanship wouldn’t get into his head as he went 8 innings, allowing just 1 run and striking out 11 batters en route to a game 5 victory which would jump start another furious ALCS comeback by the Red Sox and see them take the AL pennant in 7 games.

Over the course of Boston’s playoff run in ’07, Beckett was as reliable as they come. In 4 starts he went 4-0, tossed 30 innings, surrendered just 4 runs to post a 1.20 ERA, and struck out 35 batters.