Boston Red Sox: Best pitchers who could hit in franchise history

Red Sox – Outfielders

Left-hander Ken Brett came to the Red Sox at the end of the 1967 season as a just turned 19-year-old and did appear in the World Series. Brett played for 14 seasons and with ten teams compiling a rather mediocre 83-85 record but was generally considered the best hitting pitcher of his era. You may recognize the name since his younger brother George Brett could hit a wee bit.

In four seasons with Boston, Brett hit .295 and hit three home runs and just six RBI in 61 at-bats.  For his career, Brett hit .262 but his numbers were hampered by the DH rule and Brett sat while a DH took his slot.  Where Brett failed was hitting just .148 as a pinch-hitter and an even lower .063 against his former team the Red Sox.

Left-hander Gary Peters could hit the long ball with 19 career home runs and four in his brief three years with the Red Sox. In those three seasons, Peters also won 33 games but as a member of the White Sox Peters was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1963 with a 19-8 record. The following season Peters led the AL in wins with 20 and twice topped the AL in ERA.

As a hitter, Peters finished with a .222 batting average and 102 RBI to go with his 19 home runs. Peters hit .235 as a pinch-hitter in 66 career at-bats but holds the record for most pinch-hit home runs by a pitcher with four. Two of those four came while a member of the Red Sox.

A pitcher who was rough on the edges and a noted head hunter was right-hander Carl Mays who had a career .268 average.  In five seasons with Boston Mays hit .243 and had a 72-51 pitching record. Mays did not have a significant (5) home run total for his career but could bang out triples with 21 for his career and that is tied for third place on the all-time list. Walter Johnson leads with 41 three baggers.