Avengers Assemble: The Red Sox as the ultimate superheroes
The Avengers aren’t the only team of superheroes in the universe. The 2018 Red Sox put on a show of Hulk-sized proportions. Looking at the Red Sox lineup going into 2019, where do these two teams stack up?
The 2018 Red Sox had a season for the history books and one that will never be forgotten. They will go down as the greatest team in franchise history. Boston had a stranglehold on the American League East from the get-go and never lightened up. With that said, they resemble another team of superhuman heroes.
The Avengers are supposed to be the greatest team of heroes ever assembled. Protecting the physical world as well as time and space, The Avengers cover the universe. Much like the Red Sox covered the baseball universe this past season. So now we get to the real crux of the issue, which player best fits with each Avenger?
That’s what we’re here to do today, let’s match these heroes up! With so many options not only on the Boston side of things but also from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the possibilities are endless!
WIth there being so many characters on both sides of the fence I decided to limit myself to just the biggest names from either time. Otherwise, we’d all be here all night matching up each and every little character to a player. This is about the big guns and the main event players. Let’s not spend another moment waiting, it’s time to assemble!
Mookie Betts – Captain America
This one seemed like a no-brainer to me when I began this project. The Red Sox go as Mookie Betts goes, much like the Avengers and Captain America. They’re both the defacto leaders of their squads and are willing to do what it takes to succeed. Much like with Mookie, the Avengers tend to lean towards Cap’s conscience and judgment.
Mookie may not wear the “C” on his uniform but he is the definition of a captain. No matter who the batter is or the runner that just scored, he’s the first one out of the dugout to celebrate. He loves his teammates and will fight for them each and every day if called upon.
Betts has become the spark and heart of the Red Sox and that showed every night during the 2018 season. When the team needed someone to step up, Betts was there. Just like the Red Sox with Mookie, Cap is the heartbeat of the Avengers and when he isn’t in the picture, they seem fractured.
Both men are the lifeblood of their respective teams and set the tone for their rosters. To me, Mookie is a perfect correlation to Captain America. Just look at Infinity War, the first thing Hulk told Tony Stark to do was call Cap. He knew that the team needed to be whole and have their spirit, that’s just what Mookie Betts is to the Red Sox.
J.D. Martinez – Thor
Much like with Mookie and Cap, this just seemed too easy to me. Thor has his hammer and J.D. Martinez has his bat. Both can cause some serious destruction and damage with just the slightest of movements. J.D. is probably the strongest guy on the entire team and his home run numbers this past season.
Now you may be saying to yourself, then why doesn’t this link him with Hulk? Great question, I saved Hulk for another player but related their power in different ways, you’ll see. Back to the Avenger in question, the God of Thunder would take to baseball without any effort and much like Martinez, Thor would knock the cover off the ball.
With one swing of Stormbreaker, Thor would have the ball leaving Fenway in the blink of an eye. It’s almost as if J.D. has his own version of Stormbreaker, especially when he launches the ball over the Green Monster. If J.D. continues to launch the ball the way he has been, he may be granted the title of “God of Thunder.”
Not to mention that both J.D. and Thor have next level charisma. Both can light up a room with a smile and bring the eyes to the action. We saw this perfectly in Thor: Ragnarok as Thor commanded the crowd in his battle against Hulk and won them over with his fighting spirit. J.D. is no different and with the crack of a bat, he can get the crowd behind him 100%.
Andrew Benintendi – Iron-Man
Both men can fly, both men stand for what they believe in, and both will sacrifice themselves for the sake of the team. Andrew Benintendi and Tony Stark are one and the same when all is said and done.
What Benni did this postseason with his game-saving catches was something of lore. Much like when Iron Man sacrificed himself to save New York City in the first Avengers film.
Benni is the right man to have by your side in the trenches as he’ll always have your back when the crap hits the fan. Not to mention he has zero fear about going into a battle and has the confidence of Tony Stark.
Much like Tony Stark, Benintendi is also used to earning accolades from his fellow players and the media. Having won the AP Play of the Year Award for his game-saving catch against the Astros in the ALCS. Neither Benintendi or Iron man is afraid to be flashy in the process of getting the job done.
Benni isn’t afraid of the spotlight either, similar to his super hero counterpart. He’ll do the big interviews and never shy away. When the stakes are the highest and the lights shining the brightest, Andrew Benintendi and Iron Man are at their best. I have a feeling that Benni and Tony would get along pretty damn well.
David Price – Hulk
This one comes to me as I think much like Hulk, David Price is a tale of two people. There is the quiet and reserved Bruce Banner and then there is the big guy. Price is similar to Banner in that on most days he is quiet and very unassuming in his actions and temperament. But when it comes time to change, he has no problem going green.
During much of this season, Price was the number two to Sale in the pecking order and was a reliable hand on the mound. We all knew what he could and would do and he delivered on just that. We also knew that for all of his regular season success he hasn’t been able to Hulk up in October. That monkey is absolutely off of his back after 2018.
For the longest time Banner would try anything and everything to keep the monster at bay until he realized that he IS the monster. I see a similar mindset with Price. Not that he was afraid or unsure of what would happen if he went to that next level but if he could ever come back from it. Welp, Price hulked up and it was a sight to see.
Price embraced his inner Hulk this postseason and teams paid greatly for what the monster did. The price that showed up in the ALCS and World Series was a pitcher like we’ve never seen before. He got focused, he got angry and he was tired of people doubting him on the big stage. He took the ball and made sure that never came back.
As soon as the World Series was over, Price returned back into Bruce Banner and his reserved self. But we all know now that the monster does live inside of him and can come out whenever he’s ready to unleash it.
Nathan Eovaldi – Ant-Man
We’re sticking with the pitchers here folks and again, I’m breaking my own rules. But hey, this is my gig and I’ll do what I want. Can we just start by saying Nathan Eovaldi deserves a statue somewhere in the city limits of Boston? What he did for the team this postseason is that of legend. He did it all without any expectations or pressure on his shoulders as well. Much like Scott Lang/Ant-Man.
Scott Lang became an Avenger unassumingly and doesn’t quite fit the mold of the superhero team. Though each member has their quirks they all share the desire to protect the masses. Lang became a hero begrudgingly out of self-preservation and eventually grew into the role. The sarcastic anti-hero joined the Avengers during Civil War, well into their story. Much like Eovaldi joining the Red Sox far into the season.
Both would assume their jobs on their respective teams and carry their weight. Eovaldi would make a name for himself by shutting down the Yankees in the Bronx and earn his spot. Lang would team up with Captain America and battle Iron Man’s side in the Civil War.
Both aren’t what you would expect from a hero but when the pressure his the heaviest and moments beyond encapsulation, they step up. Eovaldi was the driving force for the Red Sox in October. If he wasn’t starting, he was coming out of the bullpen in relief, just look at his extra-inning miracle in LA.
After missing Infinity War it was made clear that Ant-Man would be a key part in End Game by making an appearance at the end of the trailer. Eovaldi will once again look to be the workhorse for the Red Sox in their own end game as they defend their title in 2019.
Rafael Devers – Spider-Man
Another perfect match here as both are the youngest members of their respective teams. Much like Peter Parker, Rafael Devers stepped into a big role and didn’t shutter under the pressure. Devers was a breath of fresh air for the Red Sox in 2018 as he brought a spark and confidence that blended well with the team.
Peter Parker is much like Devers in that he just wants to be a part of the action no matter the scenario. We saw this in Infinity War when Parker snuck onto a spaceship with Iron Man to go after Thanos. Devers dove right into the deep end with the Red Sox in 2018 and found himself in the middle of some big moments on their way to the World Series.
Spider-Man will continue to grow as a character and a member of the Avengers universe and so will Devers. As the Red Sox continue to move towards the youth of their roster, Devers will be a key member and asset to the organization. Just as The Avengers will eventually have to become younger, Spider-Man will be the key to that movement as they continue to protect the universe.
Rafael Devers and Spider-Man are main components within their squads and will continue to evolve into leaders in the future.