Five Under-The-Radar Contributors From Red Sox 2013 World Series Run

Certain players come to mind when Boston Red Sox fans reminisce about the 2013 World Series championship.

Of course, Red Sox stars David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia headlined the group that went on to win the organization’s third title of the century while Mike Napoli, Jonny Gomes, Shane Victorino and Koji Uehara all gained fame in one way or another as Boston went on to claim the hardware.

But the Red Sox needed unheralded players to step up to reach the pinnacle of their sport. Those players and the impact they made gets lost over time, but let’s look back at the five under-the-radar contributors that had a helping hand in bringing another World Series trophy back to Boston.

David Ross
Ross was Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s backup for the majority of the regular season, but when the Red Sox needed a steadying presence behind the plate in the playoffs, they turned to the wise veteran. Ross received spot duty during Boston’s first two series, but with the Red Sox down 2-1 in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ross became the starting catcher for good. With Ross catching, the Red Sox went on to win three straight games to secure the title.

Ross’ defensive play far outweighed his offensive production. His command over the pitching staff helped the Red Sox allow a combined four runs over the final three games of the series. He did find ways to chip in with the bat, though, including hitting a clutch ground-rule double that produced the go-ahead run in a 3-1 road victory in Game 5 of the World Series.

Daniel Nava
Nava’s most-known moment from the season was hitting a go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth inning on the same day David Ortiz made his iconic speech following the Boston Marathon bombings. But Nava gave the Red Sox plenty as a fourth-outfield option. He played in 124 games during the regular season, batting .303 with 12 home runs and 66 RBIs. That’s terrific production coming from a reserve player. Nava wasn’t able to keep producing at that level in the playoffs — although he did record two RBIs in Game 3 of the World Series — but his regular-season performance was key as a depth piece for the Red Sox.

John Lackey
Red Sox fans had a love-hate relationship with Lackey. But after the run to the title, it tilted more to Red Sox fans ultimately enjoying what Lackey brought to the mound. The veteran right-hander, who signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Red Sox prior to the 2010 season, underwhelmed during the regular season with a 10-13 record. But Lackey showed his championship mettle when it mattered most.

In the playoffs, Lackey compiled a 3-1 record with a 2.27 ERA while striking out 25 batters in 26 innings. He made three appearances in the World Series, including coming out of the bullpen in Game 4 to pitch a scoreless eighth inning of relief. He then toed the rubber for the clinching game at Fenway Park, allowing just one earned run over 6 2/3 innings. And he certainly endeared himself to the Fenway Faithful when he showed his dirt-dog mentality by convincing manager John Farrell to leave him in the game during the seventh inning.

Craig Breslow
The Red Sox might not get to the World Series without Breslow, who was lights out in the first two series. The left-handed reliever became a highly trusted arm out of the bullpen by dominating in the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Breslow made three appearances in the series and didn’t allow a run in 3 2/3 innings pitched while also collecting four strikeouts. He kept his scoreless streak intact with four more appearances against the Tigers in the next round while also registering three holds. Breslow wasn’t as effective in the World Series, but he sure did his part up to that point.

Junichi Tazawa
Like Breslow, Tazawa made a massive difference out of the bullpen in the postseason. The right-hander was called upon routinely in high-leverage situations and always seemed to deliver to bridge the gap to Uehara. Tazawa yielded just one run in 13 appearances during the run and also recorded six holds to go along with a win in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series. His contributions flew under-the-radar but nonetheless were important to another title.