The 2019 Boston Red Sox season was the 119th season in the team's history, and their 108th season at Fenway Park. The Red Sox entered the season as reigning World Series champions, but did not repeat, as they were eliminated from playoff contention on September 20. With a record of 84 wins and 78 losses, they finished third in the American League East, 19 games behind the New York Yankees. It was the first time the Red Sox did not win their division since 2015. Average attendance at home games was 35,994.
Offseason During the offseason, the team retained or re-signed most players from the 2018 team. Not retained were closer Craig Kimbrel, reliever Joe Kelly, starter Drew Pomeranz, and second baseman Ian Kinsler. Prior to Opening Day, the team sent catcher Sandy León to the minor leagues, opting to carry two catchers on the roster, Christian Vázquez and Blake Swihart. Manager Alex Cora stated he would use Andrew Benintendi as the team's leadoff hitter, with Mookie Betts batting second, swapping their positions from the team's usual 2018 batting order. Cora did not name a specific relief pitcher as closer.
October On October 30, the Red Sox exercised their $15M 2019 team option on LHP Chris Sale. On October 31, LHP David Price announced that he would return to the Red Sox for the 2019 season, declining a contract option that would have allowed him to become a free agent.
November On November 12, closer Craig Kimbrel declined Boston's one-year, $17.9 million qualifying offer, thus becoming a free agent. On November 15, the Red Sox announced an average price increase of 2.5 percent for tickets to 2019 games. On November 16, the Red Sox re-signed 1B/LF Steve Pearce to a one-year, $6.25M deal. On November 20, the Padres traded RHP Colten Brewer to the Red Sox for infielder Esteban Quiroz. On the same day, the Red Sox released RHP William Cuevas, who then signed with the KT Wiz of Korea's KBO League. On November 28, senior vice president of player personnel Allard Baird was hired by the New York Mets. On November 30, the Red Sox re-signed RHP Tyler Thornburg to a one-year contract worth $1.75 million, plus incentives worth up to $400,000.
December On December 6, the Red Sox re-signed RHP Nathan Eovaldi to a four-year contract, reportedly worth $67.5 million. On December 10, the Cincinnati Reds claimed LHP Robby Scott off of waivers. On December 11, radio announcer Tim Neverett advised that he allowed his contract with WEEI-FM to run out and that he would no longer be part of the Red Sox radio broadcast team. On December 11, manager Alex Cora announced that Andrew Benintendi would be the team's leadoff hitter in 2019, with Mookie Betts batting second. On December 21, the Red Sox re-signed RHP Heath Hembree to a one-year, $1.3 million deal. On December 21, RHP Joe Kelly signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
January On January 10, multiple non-roster invitees to spring training were announced, including Rusney Castillo, Josh Ockimey, and Mike Shawaryn. On January 11, RHP Steven Wright agreed to a one-year contract with the Red Sox worth $1.375 million. On January 12, it was announced that the Red Sox reached agreement on one-year contracts with all of their remaining arbitration-eligible players, including Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Brock Holt. On January 30, the team signed RHP Jenrry Mejía to a minor league contract. Mejía was reinstated after spending three years out of baseball due to a permanent suspension for three failed drug tests. On January 31, pitcher David Price announced that he was changing his uniform number from 24 to 10.
February "Truck Day"—when equipment for spring training leaves Fenway Park—was February 4. On February 13, spring training began for pitchers and catchers. On February 14, Entercom and WEEI-FM announced that a rotation of commentators would be used to replace Tim Neverett in Red Sox radio broadcasts with Joe Castiglione; included in the announcement were Sean McDonough, Chris Berman, and former Detroit Tigers announcer Mario Impemba. On February 18, the team held its first full-squad workout. On February 20, New England Sports Network (NESN) announced that Dennis Eckersley and Jerry Remy would be the usual color commentators for television broadcasts with Dave O'Brien, including 30 games with a three-man booth. For games when Eckersley and Remy are not available, former Red Sox players Carlos Peña and Jarrod Saltalamacchia would fill in. Tom Caron continues as studio host of pregame and postgame shows, working with several other former players, including Jim Rice and Steve Lyons. On February 21, baseball writer Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe died at JetBlue Park, reportedly of an embolism. On February 22, the Red Sox defeated the Northeastern Huskies, 6–0, in a seven inning exhibition game. On February 23, Grapefruit League play started with an 8–5 win over the New York Yankees.
March On March 2, the team announced that it had reached agreement with 17 players, including Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers, for one-year deals, resulting in all players on the major league roster being under contract for the season. On March 6, MLB suspended RHP Steven Wright for 80 games, due to a positive test for a performance-enhancing substance, Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide 2 (GHRP-2). On March 17, manager Alex Cora named Chris Sale as the starting pitcher for Opening Day. On March 18, Cora announced that second baseman Dustin Pedroia would begin the season on the injured list. On March 23, the Red Sox completed their spring training games in Florida with a record of 12–15. On March 25 and 26, Boston played their final two spring training games in Mesa, Arizona, against the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs won both games, by scores of 3–2 and 16–7. On March 26, the Red Sox sent catcher Sandy León outright to Triple-A Pawtucket. On March 27, the team placed Dustin Pedroia, Steve Pearce, and Marco Hernández on the 10-day injured list, bringing the team's active roster size to 25, the MLB regular season limit.
Regular season Key dates: March 28: Season opener at Seattle Mariners. April 9: Home opener vs. Toronto Blue Jays. June 29–30: 2019 MLB London Series in England vs. New York Yankees July 8–11: All-Star break. July 9: All-Star Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland. July 12–14: Home series vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, whom Boston defeated in the 2018 World Series. September 29: Final regular season game, vs. Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park.
Opening Day, March 28 at Seattle Mariners The 2019 regular season began on March 28 against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park (formerly known as Safeco Field). Manager Alex Cora named Chris Sale as Boston's Opening Day starting pitcher, and advised the starting lineup to the media on March 27. Seattle scored seven runs off of Sale, who only pitched three innings and took the loss. Mariners' shortstop Tim Beckham had two home runs en route to a 12–4 final score. Mookie Betts went 3-for-5 at the plate.
Opening Day lineup
Order No. Player Pos. 1 16 Andrew Benintendi LF 2 50 Mookie Betts RF 3 11 Rafael Devers 3B 4 28 J. D. Martinez DH 5 2 Xander Bogaerts SS 6 18 Mitch Moreland 1B 7 36 Eduardo Núñez 2B 8 19 Jackie Bradley Jr. CF 9 7 Christian Vázquez C – 41 Chris Sale P
March March 28–March 31, at Seattle Mariners After a 12–4 loss in the season opener, the Red Sox came from behind to win the second game of the season, 7–6. Brian Johnson got the win in relief, with Matt Barnes picking up the team's first save of the season. Mitch Moreland's three-run home run in the ninth inning provided the winning margin. A late Boston rally in the third game of the series came up a run short, as Seattle held on for a 6–5 win. Boston again rallied late in the fourth game, loading the bases with one out in the ninth, but fell two runs short, losing 10–8. During the series, only one Red Sox starting pitcher, Nathan Eovaldi in the second game, lasted five innings.
Red Sox lost the series 1–3 (24–34 runs)
April April 1–April 4, at Oakland Athletics The Red Sox were held scoreless in the first two games of the series, falling to the Athletics by scores of 7–0 and 1–0. It was Boston's first time being shutout back-to-back since their 2015 season. Each game featured an outfield assist by Oakland center fielder Ramón Laureano to retire Xander Bogaerts; at home in the first game, and at third base in the second game. The Red Sox ended their four-game losing streak with a 6–3 win in the third game of the series. Blake Swihart was 3-for-4 at the plate including a home run, while Ryan Brasier recorded his first major league save. In the final game of the series, J. D. Martinez hit his third home run of the season, but the Red Sox were unable to win consecutive games, losing 7–3. Boston's 2–6 start was the worst for a defending World Series champion since the 1998 Florida Marlins, who were 1–7 through eight games played.
Red Sox lost the series 1–3 (9–18 runs)
April 5–April 7, at Arizona Diamondbacks Boston fell to Arizona in the Diamondbacks' home opener, 15–8, after falling behind 14–1 through six innings. Starter Rick Porcello allowed 10 hits and seven runs in innings, followed by Brian Johnson who allowed six hits and seven runs in innings. Late in the game, both Mookie Betts and Mitch Moreland homered, while infielder Eduardo Núñez pitched an inning in relief. The second game of the series was tied in the bottom of the ninth, when Betts threw out Eduardo Escobar at the plate as he attempted to score from second on a single to right. However, a two-out walk-off single by the next batter, catcher Carson Kelly, gave the Diamondbacks a 5–4 win. Starting pitcher David Price allowed four runs in six innings for a no decision, while going 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI. The team's record through 10 games was their worst start since 2011, which also began 2–8. The Red Sox won the final game of the series, 1–0, with the only run coming on a Moreland home run. Five Boston pitchers combined to shutout the Diamondbacks. Two Boston relief pitchers (Marcus Walden and Matt Barnes) batted, the first time that had occurred since 1972.
Red Sox lost the series 1–2 (13–20 runs)
April 9 & April 11, vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Prior to the home opener, the Red Sox celebrated their 2018 World Series victory, including raising a World Series banner and awarding World Series rings. In the game, Boston jumped out to an early 2–0 lead after two innings, only to fall behind 5–2 at the end of four, en route to a 7–5 defeat. Chris Sale gave up five runs in four innings for the loss, including a steal of home by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. For the Red Sox, Mookie Betts and Mitch Moreland both homered, while Dustin Pedroia was 1-for-4 in his first MLB game since May 2018. In the second game of this short series, Toronto led 5–3 after three innings and 6–5 after eight. In the ninth inning, a Betts walk followed by a Moreland double tied the game. Two subsequent walks (one intentional) loaded the bases, then Rafael Devers delivered a walk-off single, giving Boston a 7–6 win.
Red Sox tied the series 1–1 (12–13 runs)
April 12–April 15, vs. Baltimore Orioles