Top Seven Greatest Outfielders In Boston Red Sox History

The outfield at Fenway Park is legendary, with the Green Monster, Pesky’s Pole and the triangle all creating a unique environment for Boston Red Sox home games.

So, it’s only fitting that some of the most iconic players in franchise history patrolled the outfield grass.

Here are the seven greatest Red Sox outfielders of all time.

Manny Ramirez (2001-08)
The Red Sox swung for the fences at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in December 2000, signing Ramirez to an eight-year, $160 million contract shortly after Alex Rodriguez signed a 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers. To say the investment proved worthwhile would be an understatement, as Ramirez, who spent his first eight seasons in Cleveland, cemented himself as one of the game’s most feared hitters while leading Boston to two World Series titles.

Ramirez was named an All-Star in each of his eight seasons with the Red Sox. He earned six Silver Slugger Awards with Boston and was a perennial MVP candidate while holding down the heart of the order.

The phrase “Manny being Manny” spoke to Ramirez’s unpredictable nature, but one thing was very predictable: That he was going to put up huge numbers every year.

Mookie Betts (2014-19)
Betts joined the organization as an infielder in 2011. And by the time the Red Sox traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020, he established himself as one of the best all-around outfielders in baseball. A true five-tool player.

Betts earned four All-Star selections, four Gold Glove Awards and three Silver Slugger Awards in his six seasons with the Red Sox. He was named the American League MVP in 2018 after putting together one of the greatest seasons in Boston history, a dominant campaign that culminated with a World Series title.

Tris Speaker (1907-15)
Speaker’s name probably doesn’t immediately come to mind, seeing as he played for Boston in the early 1900s and actually spent more time with Cleveland. But his stats sure are impressive. He was an extra-base machine with a knack for racking up steals and finished his Red Sox career with an eye-popping .337/.414/.482 slash line.

Speaker was named MVP in 1912, Fenway Park’s inaugural season, after hitting .383 with 10 home runs, 90 RBIs and a .464 on-base percentage. He posted at least 10 WAR on two separate occasions (1912 and 1914), which spoke to his overall value.

Dwight Evans (1972-90)
Widely considered the best defensive right fielder in Red Sox history, Evans navigated the tricky confines of Fenway Park with poise, earning eight Gold Glove Awards in his 19 seasons with Boston.

Evans was a model of consistency throughout his career, which included three All-Star selections and two Silver Slugger Awards, and is one of the most underrated players of his era.

Jim Rice (1974-89)
Rice, an eight-time All-Star, spent his entire 16-year career with the Red Sox. He was one of the game’s premier power hitters during that time, leading the American League in home runs on three separate occasions.

Rice was named AL MVP in 1978 and finished in the top five in five other seasons. He finished his career with 382 home runs, 1,451 RBIs and an .854 OPS, an excellent résumé that paved the way for him to earn enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Carl Yastrzemski (1961-83)
No one played more games in a Red Sox uniform than Yastrzemski at the time of his retirement. Not even close. Yaz spent his entire 23-year career in Boston. He totaled 18 All-Star selections, seven Gold Glove Awards, three batting titles and the AL MVP Award in 1967 after hitting for the triple crown.

Yastrzemski, a Hall of Famer, is synonymous with Red Sox baseball. He walked away in 1983 with 3,419 hits, 452 home runs and an .841 OPS across 3,308 career games.

Ted Williams (1939-60)
Before Yaz, there was Teddy Ballgame, arguably the greatest hitter who ever lived. A 19-time All-Star and two-time MVP, Williams won six batting titles and hit for the triple crown twice.

Williams batted .344 with a .482 on-base percentage in 2,292 career games. The Splendid Splinter also totaled 521 home runs and 1,839 RBIs in his Hall of Fame career despite missing three years in the middle of his prime while serving in World War II. He was a legend in every sense of the word.

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