It’s hard to believe that the Red Sox are about one quarter as many years removed from the 2004 World Series as the total length of the curse that was broken that year. A huge difference, of course, was the addition of three more trophies. With the announcement of Jon Lester being enshrined the the Red Sox and Cubs’ respective Halls of Fame and his pending addition to the Hall of Fame ballot that will come out later this year for the Class of 2027, let’s look back at the ‘06 and ‘16 teams before
2026 begins.
2006
The 2005 season ended tumultuously. The Red Sox backed into a tie with the ascendant New York Yankees and were quickly bumped from the postseason. The Chicago White Sox would win the World Series with the dominance of a team using trash cans and buzzers. Theo Epstein would flee Fenway Park in a gorilla suit for a short sabbatical.
While he was gone, the Red Sox would trade Hanley Ramirez an Anibal Sanchez for Josh Beckett. Big free agent signing Edgar Renteria would be traded for Atlanta Braves third base prospect Andy Marte. Peter Gammons would declare that the offseason would be remembered for Marte and not Beckett. So it was then a surprise when Marte would be shipped off to Cleveland for Coco Crisp.
Jonathan Papelbon, who made his major league debut in 2005, would miss out on a rotation spot in Spring Training but find a home in the bullpen. Given his career to follow, that sure worked out!
Johnny Damon would become a New York Yankee. But hopes were high. Fresh off 95 wins and adding a new center fielder and slick-fielding shortstop Álex González – plus the return of Theo Epstein – things felt good. And they looked good. For a while.
Boston headed into the All-Star Break with a .616 winning percentage and a 53-33 record. The 19-inning walkoff loss to the Chicago White Sox should have been a warning of things to come but who is really that superstitious about baseball?
Boston would suffer injuries to Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon its rapid succession. Jon Lester would make his debut and then also hit the IL with a sore back. He would later add a cancer diagnosis to his medical woes.
Then there was the five game sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees.
All-in-all it would be a 33-43 second half that would see Boston finish in 3rd place behind even the Toronto Blue Jays. The first time since 1997 that Boston did not finish second in the AL East, 86-76.
David Ortiz would hit a career-high 54 home runs, taking the Red Sox record from Jimmie Foxx who hit 50 homers for Boston back in 1938.
As a coda, Alex Cora would play in 96 games and hit .238/.312/.298
2016
If the 2006 Red Sox had some recent history to live up to, the 2016 club most certainly did not. After the 2011 collapse, 2012 dismantling (the Punto Trade), 2013 World Series out of nowhere, there were suddenly back-to-back last place seasons. Behind the Blue Jays, behind the Rays, and behind the Orioles. Ben Charington? More like Ben-barrassment.
Dave Dombrowski technically came in August of 2015 but that season was settled before his hiring. The offseason would be his first chance to really begin.
And begin he did.
Dealin’ Dave would trade for Craig Kimbrel and sign Chris Young (the centerfielder not the pitcher). Then he did what Dombrowski does: hand out a massive deal. Welcome to Boston, David Price!
In the draft that summer he’d acquire legendary Boston Red Sox Bobby Dalbec.
And Dave’s first year was a smashing success.
The Sox would once again go from worst to first and took over the AL East once more.
They’d go 49-38 (.563) in the first half and 44-31 (.587) in the second.
He’d add Aaron Hill, Brad Ziegler, and Drew Pomeranz before the trade deadline.
Mookie Betts would have a 9.8 bWAR season.
Xander Bogaerts would solidify shortstop while hitting .294/.356/.446 with 21 homers and 13 steals.
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit 26 home runs!
Big Papi would slash .315/.401/.620 on his retirement tour.
The magic would stop when they got to October, however. Cleveland, helmed by Terry Franconia, would sweep them out of the ALDS in three games.
2026
Craig Breslow and Alex Cora, teammates on that 2006 team, are still finishing the roster and lineup as January has more days behind it than ahead.
Ranger Suárez is, kinda, their David Price of 2016.
Roman Anthony is their Mookie Betts – for the story if not quite the on field production.
Can they top 2016 or will the season, like so many recently, sputter out like 2006?
