Boston Red Sox: 30 Greatest Players in Team History
17: Dwight Evans, OF (1972-1990)
As a premier defender with great pop and impressive on-base skills, Dwight Evans was a player who may have been a bit before his time. In today’s game of advance statistics where patient hitters with power and defensive skills are more appreciated than ever before, Evans would have been an absolute star.
That said, he was certainly known as a great player in his day. Evans 19 of his 20-year career with the Red Sox, Evans was a three-time All-Star, won two Silver Sluggers and took home eight Gold Glove awards.
The eight Gold Gloves are obviously impressive, but he likely would have taken home even more defensive awards if the outfield positions were split up from left to right as they are today. Evans was clearly the best right fielder in baseball for a very long time.
He did not develop much with his bat until later in his career, really taking off in 1981 where he hit .296/.415/.522, leading the league in home runs with 22, an OPS of .937 and 85 walks. Coupled together with his usual elite defensive play in right field, Evans came in third in AL MVP voting that season.
From that point forward, Evans became a strong force in the Red Sox line-up, leading the league the next season with a .402 on-base percentage, while also knocking out 32 home runs. His patient and powerful approach at the plate continued throughout his Red Sox career, as Evans lead the league with 114 walks in 1985 and 106 bases on balls in 1987. He also hit 29 and 34 home runs in those respective seasons.
His 251 home runs from 1981-1990 were the most hit by any player in the American League during that time. While it took him a while to get the bat going, Evans was clearly one of the most productive bats in baseball throughout the second half of his career. His skills may not have always jumped off the page, but Evans was an extremely well-rounded and reliable player for the Red Sox for many years.
Next: Number 16