1950 Boston Red Sox season
The 1950 Boston Red Sox season was the 50th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished third in the American League with a record of 94 wins and 60 losses, four games behind the AL and World Series champion New York Yankees. This was the last time that the Red Sox won at least 90 games until their return to the World Series in Red Sox season|1967].
The team scored 1,027 runs, one of only six teams to score more than 1,000 runs in a season in the modern era, and, along with the 1999 Cleveland Indians, are one of two teams to do so post-World War II. The 1950 Red Sox compiled a.302 batting average, and remain the most recent major league team to record a.300 or higher team batting average for a season.
In a game on June 8, the Red Sox set a major league record for total bases by a team in one game, which still stands. During their 29–4 win over the St. Louis Browns, the Red Sox collected 28 hits: 7 home runs, 1 triple, 9 doubles, and 11 singles for 60 total bases. The Red Sox, who had already beaten the Browns 20–4 the day before, became only the second team since 1901 to score 20 or more runs in consecutive games.
Offseason
Trades and Transactions
- October 24, 1949: It is reported that Dick Gernert, a junior at Temple University, has signed with the Red Sox over the weekend.
- November 17, 1949: The Red Sox draft pitcher George Copeland from the Rochester Red Wings for $10,000.
- December 1, 1949: The Red Sox purchase pitcher Al Papai from the St. Louis Browns off waivers for $10,000.
- February 26, 1950: The Red Sox announce the sale of pitcher Jack Kramer to the New York Giants for a reported sum of $25,000.
- April 14, 1950: The Red Sox sign third baseman Ken Keltner as a free agent.
Regular season
Game log
| Boston Win | Boston Loss | Tie Game |
Trades and Transactions
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; R = Runs; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases
| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | R | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
| C | | 79 | 268 | 83 | 33 | .310 | 8 | 45 | 1 |
| 1B | | 136 | 559 | 180 | 101 | .322 | 34 | 144 | 0 |
| 2B | | 149 | 586 | 172 | 103 | .294 | 27 | 120 | 3 |
| SS | | 149 | 628 | 185 | 125 | .295 | 30 | 144 | 1 |
| 3B | | 127 | 490 | 153 | 112 | .312 | 1 | 49 | 2 |
| OF | | 130 | 471 | 153 | 92 | .325 | 9 | 74 | 2 |
| OF | | 89 | 334 | 106 | 82 | .317 | 28 | 97 | 3 |
| OF | | 141 | 588 | 193 | 131 | .328 | 7 | 70 | 15 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
| 110 | 424 | 150 | .354 | 4 | 68 |
| 75 | 238 | 65 | .273 | 4 | 34 |
| 57 | 169 | 48 | .284 | 7 | 37 |
| 54 | 107 | 34 | .318 | 0 | 20 |
| 27 | 84 | 25 | .298 | 1 | 12 |
| 9 | 31 | 4 | .129 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 | 28 | 9 | .321 | 0 | 2 |
| 24 | 17 | 5 | .294 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | 12 | 3 | .250 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | 11 | 4 | .364 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 8 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | ---- | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | ---- | 0 | 0 |
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
| 40 | 249.0 | 18 | 10 | 3.61 | 93 |
| 39 | 206.2 | 15 | 10 | 4.18 | 81 |
| 32 | 169.1 | 12 | 7 | 5.10 | 78 |
| 22 | 101.1 | 8 | 6 | 6.04 | 57 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
| 48 | 207.0 | 14 | 12 | 4.26 | 95 |
| 38 | 130.0 | 7 | 3 | 5.19 | 96 |
| 33 | 129.1 | 8 | 6 | 5.64 | 60 |
| 3 | 19.0 | 2 | 0 | 1.42 | 8 |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
| 16 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6.75 | 19 |
| 15 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9.26 | 13 |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8.34 | 14 |
| 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.24 | 6 |
| 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.79 | 5 |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.29 | 1 |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.50 | 3 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.86 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.00 | 1 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.25 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.75 | 0 |
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Roanoke, Marion