Boston Red Sox

Lore & Background

The Red Sox were a dominant team in the new league, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903 and winning four more championships by 1918. However, they then went into one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history, dubbed the "Curse of the Bambino" after its alleged inception due to the Red Sox' sale of star player Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees two years after their World Series championship in 1918. The Sox endured an 86-year wait before the team's sixth World Series championship in 2004. The team's history during that period was punctuated with some of the most memorable moments in World Series history, including Enos Slaughter's "mad dash" in 1946, the "Impossible Dream" of 1967, Carlton Fisk's home run in 1975, and Bill Buckner's error in 1986. Following their victory in the 2018 World Series, they became the first team to win four World Series trophies in the 21st century, with championships in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018. The team's history has also been marked by its intense rivalry with the New York Yankees, arguably the fiercest and most historic in North American professional sports.

In Their Own Story

The turning point arrived on April 25 when the front office parted ways with manager Alex Cora following a 10–17 start. The team quickly named Chad Tracy, the former manager of Triple-A Worcester, as his interim replacement. Under Tracy's guidance, the momentum shifted dramatically. On July 22, the Red Sox secured their 15th straight win, matching the record set by the 1946 squad. Just days later, the team's monthly performance reached new heights; finishing July with a 21–4 record, they posted a .840 winning percentage that stands as the highest in franchise history for any single month. The season opened on March 26 against Cincinnati and is set to conclude on September 27 at Fenway Park against the Chicago Cubs, bookending a year defined by Tracy's unexpected leadership.

Reader's Guide

The Red Sox are owned by Fenway Sports Group, which also owns Liverpool of the Premier League in England, the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins and partially owns RFK Racing of the NASCAR Cup Series. They are consistently one of the top MLB teams in average road attendance, while the small capacity of Fenway Park prevents them from leading in overall attendance. From May 15, 2003, to April 10, 2013, the Red Sox sold out every home game—a total of 820 games (794 regular season) for a major professional sports record. Both Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and the Standells' "Dirty Water" have become anthems for the Red Sox. As of the end of the 2025 season, the franchise's all-time regular-season record is 10,044–9,336–83 (.518).

Did You Know?

• The name Red Sox was chosen by owner John I. Taylor after the 1907 season, referring to the red hose in the team uniform beginning in 1908.
• The team was originally called the "Boston Americans" and had no official nickname for its first seven seasons.
• The Red Sox sold out every home game from May 15, 2003, to April 10, 2013—a major professional sports record of 820 games.
• The team's name is often shortened to "Bosox" or "BoSox", a combination of "Boston" and "Sox".