- Ted Williams has the most bWAR of any player in Red Sox history.
- Red Sox players have been named MVP in 12 different seasons, with Mookie Betts being the most recent in 2018.
- Boston has won eight World Series, four of which have come in the 21st century.
From being at the forefront of one of the worst trades in MLB history to having solid MLB odds of winning it all in the 21st century, some of the greatest ballplayers ever have worn the iconic Red Sox jersey. As a result, it was tricky narrowing down the best Red Sox players of all time to just five.
Boston has retired the jerseys of 10 former players, with more surely on the way in the next few years. Four different Red Sox have won the Cy Young Award, and 11 have been named league MVP.
Here are the five greatest Red Sox ever.
Best Boston Red Sox Players of All Time
| Rank | Player | Position | Red Sox Years |
| 1 | Ted Williams | Left Fielder | 1939-1942, 1946-1960 |
| 2 | Carl Yastrzemski | Left Fielder | 1961-1983 |
| 3 | Roger Clemens | Starting Pitcher | 1084-1996 |
| 4 | Pedro Martinez | Starting Pitcher | 1998-2004 |
| 5 | Mookie Betts | Right Fielder | 2014-2019 |
1. Ted Williams
The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived was an appropriate nickname for Ted Williams. Williams’ .482 career on-base percentage is the highest mark in MLB history. Only Babe Ruth can better his OPS+.
Ted Williams taking some BP pic.twitter.com/C3rmXv9Raf
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) January 30, 2024
His counting stats would be even more impressive if he hadn’t missed three years for military service during World War II. Williams was twice named MVP, earned 19 All-Star selections and he’s one of two players ever to win two batting Triple Crowns.
2. Carl Yastrzemski
With an MVP award to his name, over 3,000 hits and a Triple Crown, Carl Yastrzemski went a long way to replicating the achievements of Ted Williams. He’s the franchise leader in a raft of volume categories and would be much higher in rate stats if he hadn’t played deep into his 40s.
Yaz was not only an elite hitter with three batting titles, but seven Gold Gloves reflect what an exceptional defender he was, and 18 All-Star berths are a mark of both his production and durability.
3. Roger Clemens
Accusations of steroid use have tarnished Roger Clemens’ legacy. While that might stop him from getting into Cooperstown, Clemens still deserves a place on this list. He is, after all, by far the leader in bWAR among Red Sox pitchers.
Three of Clemens’ seven Cy Young awards were won during his time in Boston, including his historic 1986 campaign, which also saw him earn MVP honours. Only one player has made more starts for the Red Sox, and Clemens is tied for the most shutouts in franchise history.
4. Pedro Martinez
Pedro Martinez only played seven seasons for the Red Sox. It was one of the most dominant pitching peaks in MLB history, however, with Martinez winning the Cy Young in 1999 and 2000 after finishing runner-up in 1998.
8x All-Star
3x Cy Young Winner
World Series Champ
Hall of FamerHappy birthday to the legend, @45PedroMartinez! pic.twitter.com/jq5Z17BrEk
— Red Sox (@RedSox) October 25, 2023
He led the majors in ERA in four of his Red Sox campaigns. His 190 ERA+ is miles ahead of anyone else. Martinez also played a key role in the Red Sox breaking the curse in 2004. So, a case can be made to put him above Clemens here.
5. Mookie Betts
Placing 13th in franchise bWAR and being traded to the Dodgers during his peak, Mookie Betts is perhaps a controversial selection. Betts was one of the sport’s biggest stars during his time in Boston, receiving MVP votes in five of his six seasons.
He picked up the award in 2018 after posting the second-best position player season in Red Sox history (according to bWAR). That season ended with another championship for the Sox. Throughout his time in Boston, Betts accompanied MVP-level production at the plate with Gold Glove defence in right field.