Sports

Comparing the 2026 Red Sox to the last Sox team to win 15 in a row

Sports Illustrated · Jul 22, 2026 23:26 · 4 min read

Comparing the 2026 Red Sox to the Last Sox Team to Win 15 in a Row

The 1946 Red Sox boasted Ted Williams fresh off a three-year hiatus from serving in World War II. How does that Boston team compare to this one?

The Red Sox, who were dead in the water a month ago, made franchise history Wednesday.

After topping the Orioles, 6–3, in the opening game of a split doubleheader on Wednesday, Boston ran its winning streak to 15 games, tying a franchise record that’s lasted for 80 years.

A month ago, the Red Sox were 32–46, the worst record in the American League. They’re now 52–48 and own the AL’s final wild-card spot. It has been a remarkable turnaround in Boston, as things have been clicking on all cylinders after a disastrous start to the season that saw the firing of Alex Cora and had GM Craig Breslow firmly on the hot seat.

It’s worth noting that the last time the franchise had a 15-game win streak, the season turned out pretty well.

1946 Red Sox

Boston’s current win streak tied the best in franchise history, which came in 1946, the season Ted Williams returned from a three-year hiatus due to his service in the Marines in World War II.

He didn’t miss a beat.

The ‘46 Sox went 104–50 and won the AL pennant. Williams was phenomenal, hitting .342 with 38 home runs, 123 RBIs, a 1.164 OPS and a wRC+ of 211. He produced a career-best 10.6 WAR and beat out Tigers pitcher Hal Newhouser for the AL MVP award.

Williams wasn’t the only star on that team, as Johnny Pesky and Bobby Doerr had great seasons at the plate as well. Meanwhile, Tex Hughson and Dave Ferriss were a fine pair of co-aces as Hughson went 20–11 with a 2.75 ERA while Ferriss was 25–6 with a 3.25 ERA.

That season, the Sox opened the campaign 6–3, then ripped off 15 straight wins from April 25 through May 10. The streak ended with a 2–0 loss to the Yankees on May 11, when Tony Bonham tossed a two-hit shutout, outdueling Hughson.

Boston won the American League by 12 games over the Tigers and faced the Cardinals in the World Series. The Red Sox won Game 1, then the teams traded victories over the next five contests. Boston had a 3–2 lead heading into Game 6, but fell 4–1 as St. Louis pitcher Harry Brecheen allowed a single run and seven hits over his nine innings of work.

In Game 7, the Red Sox took a 1–0 lead in the top of first inning on a sacrifice fly by Dom DiMaggio. The Cardinals answered back in the bottom of the second when a sac fly by Harry Walker scored Whitey Kurowski. The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth when St. Louis got scored two runs thanks to an RBI double by Murray Dickson followed by an RBI single from Red Schoendienst.

The Sox trailed until the top of the eighth, when DiMaggio came through again. He doubled to right scoring Rip Russell and George Metkovich to tie things up at 3–3. As the next batter, Williams popped out to second to end the threat.

In the bottom of the eighth, St. Louis took the lead for good when Harry Walker doubled to center, scoring Enos Slaughter and giving the Cards a 4–3 lead they would not surrender. In one of the biggest games of his career, Williams went 0-for-4 and finished the series batting .200 with a .533 OPS.

How the 2026 team compares to 1946

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras — Willson Contreras leads the charge on offense for the 2026 Red Sox. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This year’s Red Sox team does not have a Ted Williams to lean on, but there are several guys having big seasons.

Offseason addition Willson Contreras is currently slashing .292/.385/.556 with 22 home runs and 66 RBIs. His 3.7 WAR ranks third among the team’s position players, but the two guys ahead of him—Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela—get huge boosts thanks to their excellent defense.

The real strength of the 2026 Sox has been their pitching. As a team, Boston ranks fourth in MLB with a 3.54 ERA, while the team’s relievers lead baseball in ERA at 3.06.

Offseason addition Sonny Gray has put himself in the Cy Young conversation with a record of 12–1 and a 2.48 ERA, while Aroldis Chapman has 23 saves in 25 chances with a 1.93 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings.

This run has proven that Boston can compete in the American League, but expecting it to reach the same heights as the 1946 squad is probably foolish. For most of the season this edition of the Red Sox was quite poor. One long streak has lifted them off the canvas, but it hasn’t vaulted them into World Series contention.