Playing nine innings while wondering how much of an underestimation “sneaky-good” was …
1. The 2013 Red Sox are the easy and understandable comparison for this season’s surprising (to most) edition. That team, like this one, was coming off a last-place finish, but featured a quality core that was supplemented by the acquisition of several unheralded, high-character veterans. No one should go so far right now as to suggest the October outcome will be the same, but the vibe of the ’13 and ’21 Red Sox is similar.
I think there’s a more fitting comparison, though, a little deeper down the franchise’s season-by-season baseball-reference.