2026 Red Sox Draw Surprising Comparison To Recent World Series Champion
Can Boston go on a similar championship run?
2026 Red Sox Draw Surprising Comparison To Recent World Series Champion originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Coming off their first postseason appearance since 2021, the Boston Red Sox have their sights set on something bigger this year: a World Series championship.
They haven't won it all since 2018, but the pieces are coming together. Their starting rotation is certainly championship-caliber , while their lineup is deeper than many realize and has the potential to surprise. After getting a taste of the playoffs last fall, the Red Sox are hungry for more.
Meanwhile, they have a battle-tested manager in Alex Cora who knows how to navigate October. Interestingly, The Athletic's Tim Britton compared Boston to the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday (subscription required), as both teams entered the season with a projected record of 84-78 from PECOTA.
That Cardinals team exceeded expectations, winning 90 games in the regular season before going all the way in October for their second title in six seasons. It's easy to see the Red Sox doing something similar, especially if their pitching holds up and their young talent breaks out. "It’s a reminder that, for a team projected to win about 84 games, a 90-win season is totally within reason — and when a team wins 90 games, winning the World Series is not outlandish," Britton wrote.