Boston Red Sox 100 game Report Card: Grading a World Series contender
By Gio Rivera
A breakdown of the Boston Red Sox in their first 100 games played in the 2018 MLB season.
Well it’s official. We’ve reached 100 games played with this compelling 2018 Boston Red Sox team. This team is undoubtedly exciting to sit and watch. Let’s put aside the 5-0 shutout loss in Detroit.
There’s one team in baseball with 70 wins and it’s the Red Sox. Alex Cora’s squad is fun and are becoming that much harder to not buy in to. A lineup that’s completely changed, taking just a single February free agency signing. One that only cost the Sox front office $110 million. Plus it’s even that much sweeter when they’re baseball’s hottest team, racking up 68 wins prior to the All-Star break. A team in which we’ve discussed a few major predictions down the road early.
Predictions that are very well possible and within reach.
First, a 100 win season. Something the Fenway faithful haven’t seen since 1946. The same year that World War II ended. Then there’s the lineup leaders. J.D. Martinez, the savior who’s been in Triple Crown talks for a while now. Mookie Betts who’s been in early MVP discussion.
Lets not forget…
That 1946 Red Sox team had themselves an MVP as well. Arguably baseball’s greatest hitter in Ted Williams. That’s right. 38 home runs, 123 runs batted in, and a .342 batting average. That was enough to get Williams 67 percent of the award share votes. 224 vote points and Williams had himself his first ever Most Valuable Player award.
At the time, Boston also had themselves three players reach 100+ runs batted in. Those players being Bobby Doerr (116), Rudy York (119), and of course Williams (123). Two of those three players sit in the National Baseball Hall of Fame today. Williams and Doerr.
Now fast forward 72 years later. We’re talking about the Boston Red Sox having arguably the two best hitters in baseball today in their lineup. A dominant duo that can very well battle for the MVP come the end of this season.