Boston Red Sox fans have been spoiled with four World Series titles since the turn of the century.
The organization and its fans suffered through a well-documented 86-year title drought from 1918 to 2004, and after tons of agony, their patience has been rewarded over the past couple of decades.
Today, we are going to power rank each of the franchise’s last four World Series titles.
While power rankings typically rank items based on overall results and performance, we are going to do something different today.
The criteria for these rankings?
The meaningfulness of the championships.
4. 2007 World Series
Boston’s 2007 World Series title was special in the sense that it solidified the organization had turned a corner.
It was the team’s second title in a span of four seasons after a miserable 86-year drought.
In the 2007 season, the Red Sox won the American League East by going 96-66 in the regular season.
In the playoffs, they swept through the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS, knocked out the Cleveland Indians in seven games in the ALCS, and annihilated the Colorado Rockies in four games in the World Series.
3. 2018 World Series
The 2018 Red Sox were one of the greatest teams in MLB history.
For that reason alone, the season was special.
Boston won 108 games in the regular season and won the AL East easily.
The club proceeded to run through the postseason without losing more than a single game in any series.
Mookie Betts established himself as one of the best players in baseball that year with an MVP campaign.
He led the league in batting (.346), slugging (.640), runs (135), and WAR (10.7), and also posted a 1.078 OPS.
Fans will never forget this team.
2. 2004 World Series
Boston’s 2004 World Series title was perhaps the most iconic championship in MLB history.
In the midst of an 86-year title drought, Boston found itself facing a 3-0 series deficit in the ALCS against the New York Yankees.
Despite being written off, as no team in baseball history had overcome a 3-0 series deficit before, the Red Sox did the impossible, mounting a historic comeback and eliminating the Yankees in seven games.
#OTD in 2004, the @RedSox completed their #ALCS comeback vs. the Yankees. 🙌
(🎥: @mlb) pic.twitter.com/WmVcZczV5P
— theScore (@theScore) October 20, 2019
They went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, ending the infamous Curse of the Bambino.
1. 2013 World Series
The 2013 World Series will forever be remembered as one of the most emotional titles in sports history.
After a terrorist attack at the annual Boston Marathon claimed three lives and injured hundreds more, the city rallied around the Red Sox and the Red Sox rallied around the city.
The team helped popularize the phrase “Boston Strong” in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, and Red Sox legend David Ortiz delivered an iconic NSFW speech in the first game back at Fenway Park following the attack.
Eight years ago today, David Ortiz gave the best speech in Boston history. pic.twitter.com/4xLzdWpQ0t
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) April 20, 2021
There were countless moments along the way that made the season so memorable, like Daniel Nava‘s eighth-inning, go-ahead home run in the first home game after the bombing, Ortiz’s eighth-inning, game-tying grand slam in Game 2 of the ALCS, and Shane Victorino‘s seventh-inning, go-ahead grand slam in Game 6 of the ALCS.
The late innings were very kind to this club.
Boston ultimately went 97-65 in the 2013 regular season and ran through the playoffs en route to an unforgettable title.
NEXT: Ranking Top 3 Red Sox Hitters Through Halfway Point In 2021