Editor’s note: On Sunday, June 21 at 7 p.m. ET, NESN will air the “Red Sox Fantasy Draft.” Choosing from a pool of the top players at each position in Red Sox history, six of our MLB analysts will participate in a draft to build the best team they possibly can. In the lead up to that, we’ll be looking back at the top players at each position in franchise history. Today, it’s starting pitchers.
The Boston Red Sox have had no trouble finding an incredible starting pitcher (or two) to anchor their rotation and help the organization continue its winning ways.
In recent memory, the Red Sox have been fortunate to have some high-end starters, which ultimately led them to a noteworthy four World Series titles within a two-decade span.
Here are some the best starting pitchers in Red Sox history.
Here Are Highlights Of All Four Red Sox Selections In 2020 MLB Draft
Josh Beckett
The 2007 ALCS MVP spent seven seasons in Boston, racking up an 89-58 record in 194 starts. A three-time All-Star, Beckett tallied a 4.17 ERA in Boston. His tenure was highlighted by a 20-win campaign in 2007, ultimately helping the Red Sox win the World Series that season.
Roger Clemens
Clemens spent 13 of his 24 seasons in Boston, recording 192 wins during the stretch. Clemens struck out 2,590 batters in a Red Sox uniform while posting a career-best 24 wins in 1986. An 11-time All-Star and seven-time Cy Young, Clemens record a 3.06 ERA with the Sox.
Jon Lester
The left-handed Lester spent nine seasons with the Red Sox from 2006-2014. While his stats — 110 wins, 3.64 ERA, two World Series titles (2007, 2013) in Boston — were impressive, his return after being diagnosed with lymphoma helped make him a fan-favorite. He won the final game of the 2007 World Series less than two years after his diagnosis before pitching a no-hitter in May 2008.
Pedro Martinez
The Baseball Hall of Famer may not only be remembered as the best Red Sox pitcher of all-time, but also the best the game has ever seen. Martinez pitched seven years in Boston, helping ‘The Idiots’ win the 2004 World Series. A two-time Cy Young winner in Boston, Martinez tallied a dominant 117-37 record with a 2.52 ERA and 1,683 strikeouts in 1,383 innings. He won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 1999 and 2000, posting a career-best 1.74 ERA in 2000 after earning 23 wins the year prior.
Babe Ruth
Widely regarded as one of the best Red Sox ever, Ruth was a starting pitcher all six seasons he spent in Boston (1914-1919). He recorded a 94-46 record with a 2.28 ERA in Boston, including a 1.75 ERA during the 1916 season in which he started 40 games. He racked up 488 strikeouts and threw an incredible 35 complete games in 1917.
Chris Sale
The current Red Sox ace has recorded 35 wins in his three years in Boston, two of which were All-Star campaigns. The left-hander compiled a 3.08 ERA in Boston, including the second-best ERA of his career (2.11) during the 2018 season. Sale has struck out 763 batters in a Red Sox uniform and was a major contributor in the organization’s 2018 World Series title.
Curt Schilling
The right-hander spent the final four years of his 20-year career in Boston, helping the Red Sox win both the 2004 and 2007 World Series. Schilling was 53-29 during his Boston tenure with a 3.95 ERA, including a 21-win season to help the Sox to the ’04 championship.
Cy Young
Young played eight of his 22 MLB years in Boston from 1901 to 1908, earning a 2.00 ERA with a 192-112 record. Young racked up two 30-plus win seasons in Boston with 33 in 1901, 32 in 1902 and another 28 in 1903, the year he helped the Sox to a World Series title.
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