WORLD STAGE: The Red Sox are making their 13th World Series appearance, having gone 8-4 in the previous 12…Only the Yankees (27), Cardinals (11), and A’s (9) have won more World Series than the Sox have.
This is the Red Sox’ 4th World Series appearance in the last 15 years (2004-18), tied with the Cardinals for the most in that time...The Sox’ 3 World Series titles since 2000 are tied with the Giants (2010, ‘12, ‘14) for the most this century.
The Red Sox are 12-2 in their last 14 World Series games...They could join the Yankees as the only teams ever to go 13-2 or better in a stretch of 15 World Series games.
COAST TO COAST: The distance between Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium (approx. 2,588 miles) is the longest ever between any 2 venues of World Series opponents.
This is the 1st time the Sox will have to travel to the West Coast for a World Series...Prior to 2018, their longest trip for a Fall Classic was to Colorado in 2007.
NATIONAL AFFAIR: The Red Sox are facing the Dodgers in the World Series for the 2nd time, having earned a 4-games-to-1 victory over Brooklyn in 1916.
The Sox went 16-4 vs. NL teams in 2018...They are 37-9 (.804) in their last 46 Interleague games, including 27-5 (.844) in their last 32...The Sox are 21-4 (.840) in their last 25 Interleague games at Fenway.
CONNECT FOUR: The Red Sox have won each of their last 4 postseason games (ALCS Games 2-5)...They became only the 3rd team in either league to lose Game 1 of an LCS and then win Games 2-5, joining the 2002 Angels and 2005 White Sox (both of those teams went on to win the World Series).
THIS AND THAT: Including the postseason, the Red Sox are 14-0 in 2018 when Jackie Bradley Jr. homers.
The Red Sox are 7-0 this postseason when scoring the game’s 1st run (0-2 when they don’t).
Beginning with Game 2 of the ALDS, Red Sox relievers have stranded all 14 of their inherited runners…Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Heath Hembree, and Joe Kelly have combined to post a 0.81 ERA and a .122 opponent AVG in the postseason (22.1 IP, 2 ER, 9-for-74, 2 XBH).