The 2018 Boston Red Sox season was the 118th season in the team's history, and their 107th season at Fenway Park. Under first year manager Alex Cora, the team finished with a 108–54 record, winning the American League East division title for the third consecutive season, and finished eight games ahead of the second-place New York Yankees. The Red Sox were the first MLB team to post 100 wins during the 2018 season, reaching that milestone for the first time since 1946; they were also the first team to clinch a berth in the 2018 postseason.
The team set a new franchise record for wins in a season by surpassing the prior mark of 105 that had been set in 1912; they also won the most games by any MLB team since the 2001 Seattle Mariners won 116. Mookie Betts finished the season with the Major League batting title, hitting .346, while J. D. Martinez finished second in the majors with .330. Betts also won a Gold Glove and the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award. Closer Craig Kimbrel became the fastest player in history to reach 300 career saves, finishing the season with 333.
The Red Sox entered the postseason as the top seed in the American League, and defeated the Yankees in four games in the Division Series. They then defeated the defending champion Houston Astros in five games in the Championship Series, advancing to the World Series where they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games, securing their ninth World Series championship overall and their fourth since breaking the "Curse of the Bambino" in 2004.
The team was later accused of electronic sign stealing. An investigation into the allegation stated that the sign stealing was "limited in scope and impact," but nonetheless resulted in the suspension of a team video replay operator and the loss of a second-round draft pick in the 2020 draft for the organization. Regardless, the team has been considered the best MLB team of the 2010s, one of the best Red Sox teams ever, and one of the best baseball teams since the 1998 New York Yankees.
Offseason October 2017
On October 11, the Red Sox announced that John Farrell would not return as the team's manager for the 2018 season. On October 22, the Red Sox announced that Alex Cora, who spent 2005–2008 with the club, had signed a three-year deal to become the new manager of the team. On October 25, it was reported that the Red Sox received approval from the Boston Landmarks Commission to add premium seating next to both dugouts. The seats, later branded the Jim Beam Dugout, became available for the 2018 season, at per-game prices starting at $12,500 for 25 guests. On October 26, the Cleveland Indians hired pitching coach Carl Willis and the Chicago Cubs hired hitting coach Chili Davis and third base coach Brian Butterfield.
November 2017 On November 2, the Red Sox named Carlos Febles as their third base coach; Febles has been in the Red Sox organization since 2007, and most recently was manager of the Portland Sea Dogs. The same day, the Red Sox named Ron Roenicke as bench coach; he previously managed the Milwaukee Brewers (2011–2015) and most recently was third base coach of the Los Angeles Angels. On November 4, Tim Hyers was named hitting coach of the Red Sox; he was previously with the team from 2013 through 2015 as minor league hitting coordinator, then spent 2016 and 2017 as assistant hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. On November 8, the Red Sox named Dana LeVangie as their pitching coach; LeVangie has been with the Red Sox since 1991; he was a minor league player (1991–1996), bullpen catcher (1997–2004), and a scout (2005–2012) before joining the coaching staff. On November 13, the Red Sox hired Craig Bjornson as their bullpen coach; Bjornson had been in the same role with the Houston Astros for the 2014 though 2017 seasons.
December 2017
On December 18, the Red Sox re-signed first baseman Mitch Moreland to a two-year, $13M contract.
January 2018 On January 22, it was reported that the safety netting at Fenway Park would be extended down both foul lines; to Section 79 in left field and to Section 9 in right field.
February 2018 On February 5—"Truck Day"—equipment for spring training left Fenway Park for JetBlue Park at Fenway South. On February 14, pitchers and catchers had their first workout at spring training. On February 18, the Red Sox re-signed IF Eduardo Núñez to a one-year, $4M deal. On February 19, the team had its first full squad workout at spring training. On February 22, the team played exhibition games against the Northeastern Huskies and the Boston College Eagles; the Red Sox won both games, by scores of 15–2 and 4–2, respectively. On February 23, the team played its first Grapefruit League game, against the Minnesota Twins; the Red Sox won, 4–3. On February 26, the Red Sox announced they signed OF/DH J. D. Martinez to a five-year, $110M deal. On February 28, the Red Sox announced that they had filed a petition with the City of Boston to change the name of Yawkey Way—the street where the main entrance of Fenway Park is located—to its original name, Jersey Street. The change was approved in April 2018, and the name reverted in May 2018.
March 2018 On March 24, the Red Sox traded IF Deven Marrero to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a player to be named later or cash considerations. On March 27, the team played its final spring training game, defeating the Chicago Cubs, 4–2.
Regular season Opening Day, March 29 at Tampa Bay Rays The 2018 regular season began on March 29, 2018, against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Manager Alex Cora named Chris Sale as the Red Sox opening day starter opposite Chris Archer. The Red Sox built a 4–0 lead through seven innings, including an inside-the-park home run by Eduardo Núñez. Sale pitched six innings, giving up just one hit and walking three, while striking out nine. After Matt Barnes held the Rays scoreless in the seventh inning, Joe Kelly and Carson Smith gave up a total of six runs in the eighth inning, allowing Tampa Bay to take a 6–4 lead. Rays closer Álex Colomé pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the save.
Opening Day lineup
50 Mookie Betts RF16 Andrew Benintendi LF13 Hanley Ramírez 1B28 J. D. Martinez DH 2 Xander Bogaerts SS11 Rafael Devers 3B36 Eduardo Núñez 2B19 Jackie Bradley Jr. CF 7 Christian Vázquez C41 Chris Sale P
March March 29–March 31, at Tampa Bay Rays After the tough loss on opening day, David Price made his 2018 debut and threw seven shut-out innings on just 76 pitches. Matt Barnes and Craig Kimbrel shut the door. The lone run of the game was scored by Xander Bogaerts in the seventh. In game three of the four-game series, the baseball was handed to Rick Porcello, who pitched innings and allowed one run on six hits. Bogaerts went 3-for-4, scored a run, drove in two, and hit his fifth double of the season.
April April 1, at Tampa Bay Rays (cont.) For the third game in a row, the Red Sox won the match by the smallest of margins. Héctor Velázquez allowed one run in innings. Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. scored to win the series. Red Sox won the series 3–1 (10–9 runs)
April 2–April 3, at Miami Marlins In the series opener, Brian Johnson made his season debut and continued the strong start of Boston's starting pitching. He allowed only one run in six innings, while Hanley Ramírez and Mookie Betts went yard for the first time of the young season. Final score, 7–3 for Boston. The next day, Chris Sale exited the game after five innings with the score tied 1–1, followed by five scoreless frames. The Red Sox scored in the top of the 11th, but the Marlins got a tying run off of Matt Barnes in the bottom of the 11th. Ramírez then drove in Betts and Andrew Benintendi in the top of the 13th, with Heath Hembree picking up the win, 4–2. Red Sox won the series 2–0 (11–5 runs)
April 5–April 8, vs. Tampa Bay Rays In the first game of the series, David Price pitched seven innings, giving up no runs on three hits, but the Red Sox had to force extra innings with two runs in the bottom of the ninth. After two scoreless extra frames, Hanley Ramírez hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 12th to give Boston the win, 3–2. After a rare scheduled Friday off-day, Boston jumped out to an 8–2 lead after two innings of the series' second game, en route to a 10–3 victory. In the series' finale on Sunday, Tampa Bay held a 7–2 lead with two outs in the bottom of the eighth; Boston then had six consecutive hits (three singles and three doubles) to take the lead, 8–7. Craig Kimbrel pitched a one-two-three ninth, to give the Red Sox the sweep. Red Sox won the series 3–0 (21–12 runs)
April 10–April 12, vs. New York Yankees The Red Sox jumped out to an early lead, then added a nine-run sixth inning, to take the first game of the series, 14–1. The first third of the Boston batting order was a combined 8-for-10 with eight runs and nine RBIs. Boston's winning streak then ended at nine games in a 10–7 loss to Masahiro Tanaka on April 11. The game included an incident where Red Sox relief pitcher Joe Kelly hit Yankees' designated hitter Tyler Austin with a pitch, following an allegedly dirty slide by Austin in which he spiked fielder Brock Holt. Austin charged Kelly and started a bench-clearing brawl; four players, including Kelly and Austin, were ejected. Boston subsequently won the final game of the series, 6–3, with Rick Porcello allowing only two hits in seven shutout innings. Red Sox won the series 2–1 (27–14 runs)
April 13–April 15, vs. Baltimore Orioles The Red Sox jumped out to a 4–1 lead in the first inning of the opening game of the series. Eduardo Rodríguez held the Orioles to one run in six innings, en route to a 7–3 win. Boston again took an early lead in the second game; 3–0 at the end of the first, and 8–0 at the end of the fourth. Héctor Velázquez got the win in the 10–3 victory. The third game of the series was tied 1–1 through five innings, with Boston getting the go-ahead run in the sixth on an error and wild pitch, and then an insurance run on a Tzu-Wei Lin ground rule double. Heath Hembree got the win in relief; final score 3–1. The final game of the series—set for Patriots' Day—was rained out and rescheduled for May 17. Red Sox won the series 3–0 (20–7 runs)
April 17–April 19, at Los Angeles Angels In the first game of the series, the Red Sox got three early runs off of Shohei Ohtani, who only lasted two innings. Boston added five more in the third, en route to a 10–1 win; Mookie Betts had three home runs. Boston again jumped out to an early lead in the second game; up 6–0 after three, starter Rick Porcello and the bullpen held Los Angeles scoreless, for a 9–0 victory. The final game of the series found Boston up a run, 3–2, at the end of five. The Red Sox then outscored the Angels 5–0 during the final four innings, for an 8–2 win to complete the sweep. Red Sox won the series 3–0 (27–3 runs)
April 20–April 22, at Oakland Athletics After a come-from-behind victory in the first game of the series, which extended Boston's winning streak to eight games, the Red Sox were no-hit by Sean Manaea on April 21. Entering the game with a 17–2 record, the Red Sox had the best winning percentage (.895) of any MLB team ever no-hit. It was the first no-hitter against the Red Sox since Chris Bosio of the Seattle Mariners on April 22, 1993. Boston also lost the third and final game of the series; it was the first time the team had consecutive losses during the season. Red Sox lost the series 1–2 (8–10 runs)
April 24–April 26, at Toronto Blue Jays