1977 Boston Red Sox season


The 1977 Boston Red Sox season was the 77th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished tied for second in the American League East with a record of 97 wins and 64 losses, 2½ games behind the New York Yankees.
Lack of pitching depth might have been a hindrance, but the team was helped by a league-leading offense, which during one ten-game span hit 33 home runs. With that kind of scoring, Boston managed to compete with the Yankees and Orioles – leading the division as late as August 22 – but at season's end, not even 97 wins would be enough.

Offseason

On June 18, 1977, during a nationally-televised game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park in Boston, Jim Rice, a powerful hitter but a slow runner, hit a ball into right field. Yankees outfielder Reggie Jackson seemed to approach the ball indifferently, and Rice reached second base. Furious, Yankees manager Billy Martin removed Jackson from the game without even waiting for the end of the inning, sending Paul Blair out to replace him. When Jackson arrived at the dugout, Martin yelled that Jackson had shown him up. They argued, and Jackson said that Martin's heavy drinking had impaired his judgment. Despite Jackson being eighteen years younger, about four inches taller and maybe forty pounds heavier, Martin lunged at him, and had to be restrained by coaches Yogi Berra and Elston Howard. Red Sox fans could see this in the dugout and began cheering wildly, and the NBC TV cameras showed the confrontation to the entire country. The Red Sox went on to win the game, 10–4.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day lineup

Notable transactions

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C152536169.31526102
1B157584157.2693395
2B137455109.240249
SS154663194.293352
3B159593157.26530112
LF150558165.29628102
CF129497129.2601876
RF8622866.2891534
DH160644206.32039114

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
7323066.2871436
8618948.254024
6614134.241113
215916.27115
135821.36216
174012.30027
11120.00000
492.22201
560.00000
230.00000
220.00000
320.00000
210.00000
100---00

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
2819310103.68105
36190.11184.2685
32188.21284.53124
26128.11154.7785
27128954.4331
1392.1623.1249

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
41151873.9944
291081053.8358

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
69139312.96114
316224.9433
160106.7513
120115.688
810012.916
10000.003
1010∞0

Awards and honors

;All-Star Game