Red Sox History: Ranking every squad of the 21st century
By Daniel Fox
No. 4: 2013 Red Sox (97-65)
Though their impact on the city was undeniable, it’s hard to know how to evaluate the 2013 Red Sox in a historical baseball context. Sandwiched in between two last-place teams, this oddball group of veterans exceeded all expectations and steamrolled their way to a World Series title.
Sure, this team had their stars, namely David Ortiz, who had a 159 OPS+; Jacoby Ellsbury, who hit .298 and stole 53 bases. Jon Lester won 15 games and struck out 177 batters. Dustin Pedroia hit .301 and won a Gold Glove.
Yet this team was as much about the veteran castoffs. Mike Napoli hit 23 home runs and 92 RBI after signing a one-year deal in the offseason, while Shane Victorino hit .294 with 15 home runs and stole 21 bases after coming over from the Dodgers the previous December.
John Lackey bounced back from Tommy John surgery with a 3.52 ERA, while unheralded relievers Koji Uehara and Craig Breslow both posted sub 2.00 ERAs.
The postseason was a struggle, as it took a few timely home runs from David Ortiz and Jonny Gomes to sneak past the Tigers and Cardinals for the championship. Though not as dominant as the 2018 team, as talented as the 2004 team, or as well-rounded as the 2007 team, the 2013 Red Sox were still great and earned a spot near the top of this list.