5 greatest baserunning threats in Boston Red Sox history
By Sean Penney
These former Red Sox players were a threat on the base paths
Our fascination with home runs tends to draw our attention to the power hitters but the speedsters can do plenty of damage by wrecking havoc on the base paths. The Boston Red Sox have a long history of outstanding offensive performers but speed is an element that often goes overlooked.
In fairness, the Red Sox don’t have a great track record for prioritizing speed. In 2021, Boston ranked dead-last in the American League and 29th in the majors with a meager 40 stolen bases. This franchise has typically been one that relies on the extra-base hits, with Fenway Park’s towering green wall in left field being an inviting target for doubles.
The single-season franchise record for stolen bases doesn’t crack the top-100 in major league history and the record for the most career steals in a Red Sox uniform falls outside the top-150.
Baserunning isn’t limited to stolen bases though. FanGraphs has a statistic called BsR, an all encompassing base running statistic that turns stolen bases, caught stealings, and other base running plays into runs above and below average. Taking an extra base to move from first to third on a base hit, avoiding outs on the base paths and not grounding into double plays are all a part of baserunning.
Through a combination of stolen bases, efficiency and BsR, let’s explore the best baserunners in Red Sox history.