Boston Red Sox: Top 10 postseason performances of the 21st century

The 2021 Boston Red Sox embarked on one of the more unexpected playoff runs in the MLB this season. While they were ultimately outdone by the eventual World Series champions, the Atlanta Braves, nobody expected that the Red Sox would battling the Houston Astros in the ALCS with a chance to claim a spot in the World Series when the season began. But that’s what ended up happening, and it was a tough defeat to swallow, even with the lack of expectations heading into the season.

After decades of futility and losing, the 21st century has been different for the Red Sox. They have pretty consistently been playoff contenders, and even when they haven’t been, they have done a remarkable job of turning things around quickly. After going 86 years without winning a World Series, they have already won four since the turn of the century.

As a result, Boston has had a lot of postseason baseball to watch in recent years, and with their winning pedigree comes some legendary performances. Even though they didn’t end up winning it all this season, we saw one of those legendary performances on a nightly basis everytime Kike Hernandez stepped up to the plate.

Hernandez was the hottest hitter on the planet for a stretch of the postseason, and much of their success should be credited to the versatile outfielder. But just how good were Hernandez’s postseason heroics compared some of the performances we have seen in years past? That’s what I have set out to find. Let’s take a look at the Boston Red Sox top 10 postseason performances of the 21st century, starting with one of the more unexpected contributors to the 2018 playoff run.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 10: Jackie Bradley Jr., 2018

Jackie Bradley Jr. didn’t get many hits in the 2018 postseason, but when he did, he made them count. Despite batting just .200 in the postseason, Bradley somehow managed to put together one of the most impactful postseason performances of the century, earning himself a spot on this list.

After being a nonfactor against the New York Yankees in the ALDS, Bradley came to life in the ALCS, but only when his team desperately needed him too. He only recorded three hits in the series, but he made them all count, and that’s what matters.

Bradley’s heroics began in Game 2, as the Sox saw an early 2-0 lead turn into a 4-2 deficit. Bradley found himself with a chance to do some damage, as he came up in the bottom of the third with the bases loaded and two outs. Bradley proceeded to smash a three run double off the Green Monster in left field, giving the Sox a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.

Bradley continued his timely hitting in Game 3, and helped put the game to bed with a grand slam in the eighth inning. Heading into the inning, Boston only sported a 3-2 lead. After the inning was over, the lead was 8-2, and the game was effectively over. You can make an argument this shifted the momentum of the series, as Houston seemed poised to put together a rally to pull out a victory.

Bradley again provided another series changing home run in Game 4. Down 5-4 in a back-and-forth affair in the sixth inning, Christian Vazquez hit a two out double, bringing Bradley to the plate. As he had done all series long, Bradley delivered again, this time hitting a two run home run to give the Sox another lead they would not give up.

Bradley wasn’t nearly as effective in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, although his game-tying solo home run in Game 3 is one of the main reasons that game ended up going all the way to the 18th inning. Either way, Bradley played a huge role in getting Boston to the World Series, and it’s safe to say that without his timely hitting, this team probably would not have made it through the Astros in 2018.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 9: Manny Ramirez, 2007

Manny Ramirez deserves credit for being one of the greatest postseason performers in MLB history. Oftentimes, the added pressure of needing to deliver for your team on the biggest stage can get to even the best players in the league. But Ramirez was simply immune to that, batting .285 with 29 home runs and 78 runs batted in over 111 playoff games. Those 29 home runs are the most by a single player in postseason history too for what it’s worth.

Ramirez simply never succumbed to the pressures of the postseason, and that was never more true than Boston’s 2007 World Series run. Ramirez was the motor of Boston’s offense during the ALDS and ALCS, and while he loses some points for cooling off in the World Series, he was still an instrumental part of their success during that series too.

Ramirez started his postseason onslaught in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Los Angeles Angels. With the score tied at 3-3 in the bottom on the ninth, Ramirez found himself at the plate with two on and two out, and a chance to win the game. Ramirez didn’t just end the game; he obliterated a fastball all the way over the Green Monster, sending Fenway Park into a frenzy. Jose Bautista may get credit for “inventing” the bat flip, but this at bat says otherwise.

Ramirez struck again in Game 3, going back-to-back with David Ortiz to help give Boston all the run support they would need to sweep the Angels right out of the playoffs. Ramirez somehow managed to find a way to step up his performance in the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians, and helped the Sox rally from a 3-1 deficit to find their back to the World Series for the first time since 2004.

Against Cleveland, when the Sox won, they won by a large margin, and Ramirez was at the forefront of the offensive attack each game. In Game 1, Ramirez went 2-2, but drew three walks, two of which drove in runs. The Indians simply did not want to pitch to Ramirez, and even once they did later on in the series, he made them pay for it.

Ramirez would drive in three more runs in Game 2, giving the Sox a 6-5 lead off of a two run home run, but the bullpen would eventually cough up that slim lead. Excluding Game 3, in which the lineup went ice cold, Ramirez would drive in at least one run in each of the four remaining games. Cleveland simply could not get him out, and he seemed to be an almost automatic source of runs throughout the series.

Ramirez’s performance in the ALCS earned him the MVP honors, and rightfully so. He wasn’t nearly as effective in the World Series against the Colorado Rockies, but luckily for him, he didn’t have to be because the Red Sox swept them in four games. Without Ramirez’s outstanding play in the first two series’ though, Boston probably doesn’t get the opportunity to win that ring, making Ramirez an easy inclusion on this list.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 8: Kike Hernandez, 2021

Unlike everyone else on this list, Kike Hernandez did not help contribute to a World Series winning team in Boston. That doesn’t take away from the fact that he was probably the biggest reason the Red Sox made it all the way to the ALCS this season. Dubbed “the hottest hitter in baseball” for a stretch of the postseason, Hernandez powered the Red Sox lineup through the heavily favored Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS, and initially helped make another upset over the Houston Astros seem likely in the ALCS.

Like the rest of the Sox lineup, Hernandez caught on fire in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Rays. He went 5-6 in the game, with four of the hits being of the extra base variety (three doubles, one home run), drove in three runs, and came around to score three times too. From that moment on, a postseason legend was born.

In Game 3, Hernandez would tie the game early on at two with an RBI single in the third inning, and then provided another solo home run that would eventually be crucial in sending the game to extra innings, a game Boston would end up winning nonetheless.

Hernandez wasn’t as good in Game 4, but with two runners in scoring position and just one out in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth, Hernandez found himself at the plate, and delivered a series-winning sacrifice fly to send the Red Sox to the ALCS.

Hernandez kept rolling into the ALCS, and nearly single handedly powered the Sox to a Game 1 victory. He went 4-5 with a pair of solo home runs in a losing effort for Boston. He would follow that up with another solo shot in Game 2 and a pair of hits in Game 3. After that though, Hernandez went cold, and so did the rest of Boston’s lineup.

Hernandez’s efforts were ultimately in vain, but that doesn’t take away from his extraordinary accomplishments. Without Hernandez, Boston certainly doesn’t beat Tampa Bay, and their lineup doesn’t produce in a similar fashion against Houston. Here’s hoping Hernandez can create another entry on this list next postseason with the Red Sox.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 7: Steve Pearce, 2018

Steve Pearce was a relatively anonymous player for most of his career, but that all changed in 2018. Pearce inserted himself among the Red Sox legends with a superb postseason performance, particularly in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pearce’s timely hitting came to personify a 2018 team that always seemed to deliver when they needed to the most.

Pearce started off the postseason innocently enough, and batted .333 against the New York Yankees while driving in a pair of runs. He much quieter in the ALCS against the Astros, only picking up three hits. But one of those hits was a huge solo home run in Game 3 that helped give Boston a lead that they had just lost in the half inning prior. Nobody could have known that clutch home run would set the stage for Pearce’s legendary World Series performance.

Pearce was quiet in Game 1, but he ended walking in the game tying run in Game 2, before J.D. Martinez proceeded to drive in two runs and give the Sox a lead they would hang onto for the rest of the night.

Pearce really took over in the final two games of the series. Things didn’t seem good for the Red Sox, as they were down 4-0 in the sixth inning just one night after their behemoth 18 inning marathon the night before. Mitch Moreland helped make things interesting with a three run pinch hit home run in the seventh inning, before Pearce tied things up the next inning with a huge solo home run off Kenley Jansen.

Pearce would find himself up to bat again in the ninth with a chance to put the game to rest, as he had a bases loaded, two out situation on his plate. Pearce delivered a bases clearing double that helped turn a seemingly desolate situation for Boston into a blowout win. Pearce followed this up with two more home runs in the Game 5 clincher, helping him earn MVP of the series.

Pearce’s timely hitting probably saved Boston from having to work up a sweat against the Dodgers. They were clearly the better team, but Los Angeles found themselves in a good position to make things interesting in Game 4. Pearce ensured there would be no drama, and his ability to come in and close things out for one of the most dominant teams this century helps him earn his rightful place on this list.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 6: Keith Foulke, 2004

If you don’t have the clip of Keith Foulke recording the final out of the 2004 World Series ingrained your memory by now, your status as a Red Sox is in serious question. While just about everyone remembers Foulke’s final out, not everyone remembers just how dominant he was during that postseason, as he was easily Boston’s most effective pitcher during their curse-breaking run.

Foulke began the postseason in dominant fashion against the Anaheim Angels. He pitched a clean inning and a third in Game 2 to put the Angels on the brink, and in the following game, he deftly navigated a bases loaded, one out situation in the top of the ninth with the score tied at six, picking up a pair of huge strikeouts against Garrett Anderson and Troy Glaus. Boston would eventually win the game in the bottom of the tenth inning thanks to Foulke’s clutch pitching.

In the ALCS against the Yankees, Foulke got big outs in both Games 1 & 2 to help keep Boston’s deficits manageable heading into the ninth, but ultimately the offense couldn’t deliver. Arguably Foulke’s best outing of the postseason though came in Game 4, as he pitched 2.2 innings and managed to keep the score at 4-3, giving Boston just enough time to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Foulke was again called upon for clutch outs in Game 5, and managed to get out of a two out, runners on the corners jam in the top of the eighth. In the ninth, he stranded two runners in scoring position, sending the game to extras for the second consecutive night. Foulke got the call for the save in Game 6, and worked around a pair of walks to force a Game 7. Foulke’s three game stretch of dominance from Games 4-6 was crucial in Boston pulling off a comeback.

In the World Series, Foulke initially struggled in Game 1 and actually ended up blowing the save, although he didn’t get much help from Alan Embree making a mess before him and Manny Ramirez committing an error out in left field. He would eventually be bailed out by Mark Bellhorn, and picked up the win after getting through the ninth inning unscathed.

Foulke was called upon for the final three games, and aside from allowing a solo homer to Larry Walker in Game 3, he was unhittable the rest of the way out. He was the star of the final out that broke the Curse of the Bambino, and after his performance throughout the rest of the postseason, it was clear he was deserving of recording the out that broke the curse.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 5: Nathan Eovaldi, 2018

On a team filled with stud starting pitchers such as Chris Sale, David Price, and Rick Porcello, it was Nathan Eovaldi who emerged as the best of the bunch during the team’s 2018 World Series run. Eovaldi turned into a jack-of-all-trades, but it didn’t matter the role; whenever he was called upon, Eovaldi was simply dominant.

Eovaldi started off his postseason run with a sterling seven inning outing against the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS. In fairness, Eovaldi, was given a 10 run cushion to work with by the time he took the mound for the fourth inning, but he still had to get outs against a potent Yankees lineup, and he did.

Eovaldi kept up the momentum in the ALCS against the Astros, going six innings in Game 3, picking up a win in the process. Eovaldi did deal with a bit of trouble, and coughed up a 2-0 lead along the way, but rebounded to get through the sixth inning before the lineup eventually blew the game open. Eovaldi was brought out of the bullpen in the Game 5 clincher, and helped escape a Matt Barnes created jam in the seventh before quickly getting through the eighth inning.

Eovaldi really earned his money in the World Series against the Dodgers, and he ended up doing all his work out of the bullpen. Eovaldi again pitched a clean eighth inning in both Games 1 & 2, cementing his status as one of Boston’s best late-inning arms. But nobody could have expected what he was about to do in Game 3 of the series.

It’s ironic that Eovaldi’s legacy defining performance came in a game he ended up getting credited with a loss. But manager Alex Cora was running out of arms in the bullpen, and decided to call on Eovaldi and see where he could get with him. Eovaldi came in for the 12th inning and ended up pitching six innings until Max Muncy hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the 18th inning.

What often gets remembered though is just how good Eovaldi was in this game. He breezed through the Dodgers inning after inning, all on just one day of rest, and basically pitched a full start out of the bullpen. He probably should have only been limited to two innings of work, but Ian Kinsler committed an error on a play that would have ended the game, but instead allowed Muncy to score the tying run in the 13th inning.

That was the last we would see of Eovaldi on the season, but his legendary Game 3 outing earned him praise from all across the league. There aren’t many pitchers in the league who would be up for the challenge Eovaldi took on that night, and it ended up saving the bullpen, and possibly Boston’s season, even though they lost. There aren’t many performances similar to Eovaldi’s in MLB history, and he more than earned himself a spot on this list.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 4: Josh Beckett, 2007

Josh Beckett was never the most consistent pitcher, but when he had his stuff, he was lights out. And for pretty much the entire 2007 season, Beckett had his best stuff. He finished second in the American League Cy Young race to C.C. Sabathia, but Beckett got something that Sabathia didn’t in 2007, and that was a World Series ring. A big reason why Beckett got a ring was because of his own performance, which included him outdueling Sabathia twice in the ALCS against Cleveland.

Throughout the 2007 postseason, Beckett made four starts, and picked up four wins in those starts. It was clear early on that when Beckett took the mound for Boston, they had a very good shot at winning that contest. Beckett kicked off the ALDS with a masterclass performance against the Angels, pitching a complete game while scattering just four hits throughout the outing. It set the tone for what was to come in the ALCS and the World Series.

Beckett squared off against Sabathia in Game 1 in the ALCS against the Indians, and outdueled him by a substantial margin. Becket went six innings giving up two runs, but the lineup got eight runs off Sabathia, and put the game to bed pretty quickly. Beckett and Sabathia would toe the rubber again in Game 5, but the circumstances were much different from their last battle. Cleveland had raced out to a 3-1 series lead, meaning the Sox season was on the line.

Even with Sabathia rebounding and going six innings, it didn’t matter because of how good Beckett was. He went eight innings, giving up just one run, while striking out 11 in the process. Beckett rejuvenated a seemingly deflated Sox team, and they rallied to win Games 6 & 7, sending Boston back to the World Series.

Due to the Sox dominating the Colorado Rockies and sweeping them in four games, Beckett was only called on for Game 1, and once again he stepped up and delivered. He went seven innings, giving up just one run, and struck out nine batters. Even if Colorado ended up forcing a Game 5, they wouldn’t have stood a chance with the way Beckett was pitching.

Beckett caught on fire and helped rally the Red Sox to a World Series victory. His Game 5 outing against Cleveland has to be considered one of the greatest in franchise history with all things considered. Without Beckett on the rubber that night, Boston’s season probably would have ended that night, highlighting his importance to that team.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 3: Jon Lester, 2013

Absolutely everything had to go right for the 2013 Boston Red Sox to win the World Series, and that’s just how things went for that team. A pieced together starting rotation ended up turning into one of the most dangerous units in baseball, and without Jon Lester, that would not have been possible. Lester was the rotation’s de facto leader all season long, and he only got better as the lights got brighter.

Lester got the nod in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Rays, and he actually struggled to start, putting the Sox in a 2-0 hole by the time the fifth inning rolled around. But the bats finally woke up, and Lester would come away with a win. He went 7.2 innings, giving up just two runs while striking out seven.

Lester’s next outing came against the Detroit Tigers in Game 1, and even though we was superb, going 6.1 innings while giving up just one run, the offense couldn’t muster a single run, making Lester the tough luck loser. Lester again got the ball in the pivotal Game 5, and while he didn’t have his best stuff, he did just enough to pull out a victory this time around.

Lester really made his mark on the World Series, and you can make a case he got robbed of World Series MVP. In Game 1, Lester continued his hot streak by holding the St. Louis Cardinals scoreless through 7.2 innings while picking up eight strikeouts. He followed that up with a nearly identical line in Game 5, once again going 7.2 innings with seven strikeouts. His lone blemish in the World Series was a solo home run off the bat of Matt Holiday in Game 5.

In all honesty, you could make a compelling case to switch Lester and Beckett in ’07, as Becket was probably more consistent throughout. But Lester’s all-time performance in the World Series gives him a leg up on Beckett here. If it weren’t for the next entry on our list, you would probably be more familiar with Lester’s accomplishments during the 2013 postseason.

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 2: David Ortiz, 2013

It’s hard to imagine where the Red Sox would be without the contributions of David Ortiz. Ortiz was so instrumental to the championships in 2004, 2007, and 2013 that it bears wondering whether or not the Sox would have won those titles without Ortiz on the roster. It’s not really surprising that in the series’ Ortiz struggled in throughout his time in Boston, they would end up losing.

One of the rare cases where that wasn’t true was the 2013 ALCS, but we will get to that in a moment. In the ALDS against the Rays, Ortiz was solid if unspectacular. He did most of his damage in Game 2, homering twice off of future Red Sox starter David Price, but otherwise was pretty quiet for the series.

The Sox moved on anyways, setting up a showdown with the heavily favored Tigers. Ortiz struggled mightily in this series, as he picked up just two hits and finished with a batting average of .091. But Ortiz’s penchant for timely hitting prevailed, and it probably saved Boston’s season.

Things weren’t looking good for the Sox in Game 2, as they were trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, and were on the verge of falling behind in the series 2-0. Ortiz found his way to the plate with the bases loaded and two out, and smoked a grand slam just over the reach of Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter that ended up tying the game at five apiece. The Sox would win the game in the next inning, and ended up winning the series in six games.

Ortiz didn’t do much in the ALCS, but that changed quickly in the World Series. Ortiz finished the series hitting an absurd .688, which is even more shocking considering how badly he struggled the series before. He hit a home run in a Game 1 blowout, and accounted for Boston’s only two runs in their Game 2 loss. He was quiet in Game 3, and Boston quickly found themselves in a 2-1 hole.

But Ortiz upped the ante again, saving Boston’s in the process. He went 3-3 in Game 4, and came around to score twice in a game the Sox won by just two runs. He went 3-4 in Game 5, and kicked off the scoring with a huge RBI double. And while he went hitless in his one at bat in Game 6, he drew four walks and came around to score twice. By then, the Cardinals were basically done pitching to Ortiz.

A .688 batting average for any postseason series seems absurd, but for the man known as “Big Papi” in Boston, it was just baseball. Ortiz provided one of the biggest hits in Red Sox history, and then followed it up with a series in which he committed just five outs in 25 plate appearences. Not too shabby, but it’s safe to say that this wasn’t even Ortiz’s best postseason performance. That would be…

Boston Red Sox top postseason performer No. 1: David Ortiz, 2004

What David Ortiz managed to pull on in 2004 will probably never be done again. Time after time, Ortiz delivered clutch hit after clutch hit, and the Sox rode it all the way to a World Series title. I’m a firm believer that despite all the attention given to the 2004 team for breaking the Curse of the Bambino, Ortiz’s performance is still criminally underrated.

Let’s start with the ALDS. Ortiz drove in the opening run of the series in Game 1, before fading into the background for the rest of that game and Game 2. Ortiz then proceeded to almost single-handedly end Anaheim’s season in Game 3. He scored on a fielder’s choice by Kevin Millar, laced an RBI double, and then ended the game and the series in the bottom of the tenth with a walkoff two run home run. The scary part was Ortiz was just getting started.

Ortiz’s performance in the ALCS against the Yankees is the definition of clutch, and might just be the best individual hitting performance in a postseason series. You can even ignore the first three games of the series if you want, but Ortiz reached base seven times over those three games, and was a thorn in New York’s side the entire way out.

Then came Game 4. Ortiz helped Boston erase an early 2-0 deficit by lacing a two run single into center field, giving Boston a 3-2 lead. The game would eventually make it’s way to extras, with Ortiz supposedly delaying Boston’s inevitable defeat by launching another game-winning two run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning.

In Game 5, Ortiz delivered the goods yet again. He kicked off the scoring with an RBI single in the bottom of the first, but Boston would eventually cough up their lead. Things seemed bleak, as the Sox were down two in the bottom of the eighth, but Ortiz stepped up again and hit a solo shot to cut the deficit to one. The game would once again hit extra innings, and Ortiz once again sent the crowd home happy, this time hitting an RBI single to center with two on and two out in the bottom of the 14th.

Boston wouldn’t trail again in the series. Ortiz did nothing in Game 6, but began the onslaught in Game 7 with a two run home rune in the first inning that would eventually lead to Boston coming all the way back from down 3-0 in the series to win 4-3. Ortiz rightfully won MVP of the series.

Ortiz wasn’t nearly as treacherous in the World Series, but he kicked off the fun with a three run home run in the first inning that set the tone of the entire series. Boston never trailed in the series, and they cruised to a sweep over the Cardinals.

Truth be told, it’s going to be tough to ever surpass what Ortiz did in the 2004 postseason. The Sox pulled off a pair of extremely improbable wins over the Yankees, and then never let their foot off the pedal. If anyone other than Ortiz found their way to the plate in those situations, there’s not chance that team would have beaten the Yankees. But fortunately for the Red Sox, it was Ortiz at the plate, and he delivered the best postseason performance in franchise history as a result.