Boston Red Sox All-Time list: Ranking top right fielders in team history
![BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox walks through the tunnel after scoring the game winning run on a walk-off single hit by Rafael Devers #11 during the ninth inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 29, 2019 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Mookie Betts #50 of the Boston Red Sox walks through the tunnel after scoring the game winning run on a walk-off single hit by Rafael Devers #11 during the ninth inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 29, 2019 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/cc0893b4614501563644274e3d97d51ec9e4a94dc007fdca920856ca68b76650.jpg)
No. 3: Dwight Evans
“DEWEY! DEWEY! DEWEY!” was a common chant in the Fenway stands during the 1980’s.
Mustachioed, rocket-armed Dwight Evans was a fan favorite, and for good reason. Evans proved to be exceptionally consistent at the plate, as almost all of his splits are within ten or so points of his career .272 batting average.
Dewey was also Mr. Clutch for the Boston Red Sox, hitting .290 with 86 home runs and 568 RBIs in high leverage situations. High leverage stats attempt to measure the probability of a team losing if a player did NOT get a big hit. He had an absolute CANNON for an arm and needed one in the vast expanse of Fenway’s right field.
He will best be remembered for his unbelievable catch and throw double play in the 11th inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series where he leaped up near the stands, robbed Joe Morgan of a homer, and nabbed Ken Griffey racing back to first.
Some other fond memories of Dewey were his first pitch of the 1986 season homer off of Jack Morris, which set the tone for a memorable summer. I remember one Saturday afternoon watching the Boston Red Sox play the A’s in Oakland, and an A’s player tried to go first to third on a base hit. Evans ranged deep to his left, collected the ball, spun and threw an absolute missile to Wade Boggs who tagged the runner out. The ball never hit the ground.
In his eighteen years as a Boston Red Sox player , Dewey is 6th in overall Wins Above replacement (66.5), behind only Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, and Cy Young. Pretty good company if you ask me.