Top 5 Boston Red Sox rookie seasons in team history

3. Fred Lynn, 1975

It is not too often that somebody in any sport wins MVP in their rookie season. Just two MLB players have done it, and Fred Lynn is one of those two players.

The other player is Ichiro Suzuki in 2001, but Suzuki was already 27 years old at the time and had already enjoyed a storied career in Japan.

It is insanely impressive that Lynn was able to win AL MVP as a 23-year-old rookie in 1975 and it will not be too often that a rookie will win MVP. Mike Trout finished second in 2012 and Aaron Judge finished second last season, but neither came out on top.

Lynn’s season was obviously spectacular, considering he won MVP. The left-hander hit .331 with 21 homers and 105 RBIs with the Sox in ’75, but Lynn was just as good if not better on the defensive end. Lynn won a Gold Glove that season, his first of four. Lynn led the AL in runs (103), doubles (47), slugging percentage (.566), and OPS (.967). The centerfielder also won Rookie of the Year and was named an all-star.

Lynn enjoyed a fantastic career with the Boston Red Sox, hitting .308 with 124 homers and 521 RBIs in seven seasons in Beantown. The Red Sox legend was a six-time all-star with the Red Sox, won four Gold Gloves, and finished in the top five of the MVP voting twice. The other season came in 1979 when Lynn hit .333 with 39 homers and 122 RBIs, finishing in fourth.

It doesn’t make sense to me how the Red Sox never retired Lynn’s No.19. Lynn was spectacular with the Red Sox and is easily one of the greatest players in team history. It didn’t make sense to me to retire Wade Boggs’ No. 26 24 years after his last appearance with the Red Sox but overlooked Lynn. Lynn was just as valuable to the Boston Red Sox.

Anyways, considering Lynn won MVP, the top two players on this list must have had pretty good rookie seasons. Let’s take a look.