The Red Sox were one of the American League’s eight charter franchises in 1901, won the first World Series in 1903 as the Boston Americans, and have played 125 seasons for an all time record of 10,044-9,336. They have won nine World Series titles, five of them by 1918 and four since 2004, and no team has won more in the 21st century. Every season is below.
| Season | Record | Finish | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 79-57 | 2nd | — |
| 1902 | 77-60 | 3rd | — |
| 1903 | 91-47 | 1st | WON WORLD SERIES over Pittsburgh, 5-3 |
| 1904 | 95-59 | 1st | World Series canceled |
| 1905 | 78-74 | 4th | — |
| 1906 | 49-105 | 8th | — |
| 1907 | 59-90 | 7th | — |
| 1908 | 75-79 | 5th | — |
| 1909 | 88-63 | 3rd | — |
| 1910 | 81-72 | 4th | — |
| 1911 | 78-75 | 4th | — |
| 1912 | 105-47 | 1st | WON WORLD SERIES over the Giants, 4-3 |
| 1913 | 79-71 | 4th | — |
| 1914 | 91-62 | 2nd | — |
| 1915 | 101-50 | 1st | WON WORLD SERIES over Philadelphia, 4-1 |
| 1916 | 91-63 | 1st | WON WORLD SERIES over Brooklyn, 4-1 |
| 1917 | 90-62 | 2nd | — |
| 1918 | 75-51 | 1st | WON WORLD SERIES over the Cubs, 4-2 |
| 1919 | 66-71 | 6th | — |
| 1920 | 72-81 | 5th | — |
| 1921 | 75-79 | 5th | — |
| 1922 | 61-93 | 8th | — |
| 1923 | 61-91 | 8th | — |
| 1924 | 67-87 | 7th | — |
| 1925 | 47-105 | 8th | — |
| 1926 | 46-107 | 8th | — |
| 1927 | 51-103 | 8th | — |
| 1928 | 57-96 | 8th | — |
| 1929 | 58-96 | 8th | — |
| 1930 | 52-102 | 8th | — |
| 1931 | 62-90 | 6th | — |
| 1932 | 43-111 | 8th | — |
| 1933 | 63-86 | 7th | — |
| 1934 | 76-76 | 4th | — |
| 1935 | 78-75 | 4th | — |
| 1936 | 74-80 | 6th | — |
| 1937 | 80-72 | 5th | — |
| 1938 | 88-61 | 2nd | — |
| 1939 | 89-62 | 2nd | — |
| 1940 | 82-72 | 4th | — |
| 1941 | 84-70 | 2nd | — |
| 1942 | 93-59 | 2nd | — |
| 1943 | 68-84 | 7th | — |
| 1944 | 77-77 | 4th | — |
| 1945 | 71-83 | 7th | — |
| 1946 | 104-50 | 1st | Lost World Series to St. Louis, 4-3 |
| 1947 | 83-71 | 3rd | — |
| 1948 | 96-59 | 2nd | — |
| 1949 | 96-58 | 2nd | — |
| 1950 | 94-60 | 3rd | — |
| 1951 | 87-67 | 3rd | — |
| 1952 | 76-78 | 6th | — |
| 1953 | 84-69 | 4th | — |
| 1954 | 69-85 | 4th | — |
| 1955 | 84-70 | 4th | — |
| 1956 | 84-70 | 4th | — |
| 1957 | 82-72 | 3rd | — |
| 1958 | 79-75 | 3rd | — |
| 1959 | 75-79 | 5th | — |
| 1960 | 65-89 | 7th | — |
| 1961 | 76-86 | 6th | — |
| 1962 | 76-84 | 8th | — |
| 1963 | 76-85 | 7th | — |
| 1964 | 72-90 | 8th | — |
| 1965 | 62-100 | 9th | — |
| 1966 | 72-90 | 9th | — |
| 1967 | 92-70 | 1st | Lost World Series to St. Louis, 4-3 |
| 1968 | 86-76 | 4th | — |
| 1969 | 87-75 | 3rd | — |
| 1970 | 87-75 | 3rd | — |
| 1971 | 85-77 | 3rd | — |
| 1972 | 85-70 | 2nd | — |
| 1973 | 89-73 | 2nd | — |
| 1974 | 84-78 | 3rd | — |
| 1975 | 95-65 | 1st | Won ALCS; lost World Series to Cincinnati, 4-3 |
| 1976 | 83-79 | 3rd | — |
| 1977 | 97-64 | 2nd | — |
| 1978 | 99-64 | 2nd | — |
| 1979 | 91-69 | 3rd | — |
| 1980 | 83-77 | 4th | — |
| 1981 | 59-49 | 5th | Strike shortened season |
| 1982 | 89-73 | 3rd | — |
| 1983 | 78-84 | 6th | — |
| 1984 | 86-76 | 4th | — |
| 1985 | 81-81 | 6th | — |
| 1986 | 95-66 | 1st | Won ALCS; lost World Series to the Mets, 4-3 |
| 1987 | 78-84 | 5th | — |
| 1988 | 89-73 | 1st | Lost ALCS to Oakland, 4-0 |
| 1989 | 83-79 | 3rd | — |
| 1990 | 88-74 | 1st | Lost ALCS to Oakland, 4-0 |
| 1991 | 84-78 | 2nd | — |
| 1992 | 73-89 | 7th | — |
| 1993 | 80-82 | 5th | — |
| 1994 | 54-61 | 5th | Playoffs cancelled by the strike |
| 1995 | 86-58 | 1st | Lost ALDS to Cleveland, 3-0 |
| 1996 | 85-77 | 3rd | — |
| 1997 | 78-84 | 4th | — |
| 1998 | 92-70 | 2nd | Lost ALDS to Cleveland, 3-1 |
| 1999 | 94-68 | 2nd | Won ALDS; lost ALCS to the Yankees, 4-1 |
| 2000 | 85-77 | 2nd | — |
| 2001 | 82-79 | 2nd | — |
| 2002 | 93-69 | 2nd | — |
| 2003 | 95-67 | 2nd | Won ALDS; lost ALCS to the Yankees, 4-3 |
| 2004 | 98-64 | 2nd | WON WORLD SERIES over St. Louis, 4-0 |
| 2005 | 95-67 | 2nd | Lost ALDS to the White Sox, 3-0 |
| 2006 | 86-76 | 3rd | — |
| 2007 | 96-66 | 1st | WON WORLD SERIES over Colorado, 4-0 |
| 2008 | 95-67 | 2nd | Won ALDS; lost ALCS to Tampa Bay, 4-3 |
| 2009 | 95-67 | 2nd | Lost ALDS to the Angels, 3-0 |
| 2010 | 89-73 | 3rd | — |
| 2011 | 90-72 | 3rd | — |
| 2012 | 69-93 | 5th | — |
| 2013 | 97-65 | 1st | WON WORLD SERIES over St. Louis, 4-2 |
| 2014 | 71-91 | 5th | — |
| 2015 | 78-84 | 5th | — |
| 2016 | 93-69 | 1st | Lost ALDS to Cleveland, 3-0 |
| 2017 | 93-69 | 1st | Lost ALDS to Houston, 3-1 |
| 2018 | 108-54 | 1st | WON WORLD SERIES over the Dodgers, 4-1 |
| 2019 | 84-78 | 3rd | — |
| 2020 | 24-36 | 5th | — |
| 2021 | 92-70 | 2nd | Won wild card and ALDS; lost ALCS to Houston, 4-2 |
| 2022 | 78-84 | 5th | — |
| 2023 | 78-84 | 5th | — |
| 2024 | 81-81 | 3rd | — |
| 2025 | 89-73 | 3rd | Lost wild card series to the Yankees, 2-1 |
The franchise played as the Boston Americans from 1901 to 1907. Finishes are league position through 1968 and division position from 1969. The 1918 and 1981 and 1994 and 2020 seasons were shortened. Records are from Baseball Reference.
The Eras
1901 to 1918, the first dynasty. Five World Series titles in 16 seasons, including the very first one in 1903. Babe Ruth pitched and hit for the 1915, 1916 and 1918 champions.
1919 to 2003, the drought. Eighty six years without a title after Ruth was sold to the Yankees. The 1920s were brutal, with eight last place finishes in nine years and a 43-111 low in 1932. Boston reached four World Series in that span and lost all four in seven games: 1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986.
2004 to now. Four titles in 15 years. The 2004 team came back from three games down against the Yankees in the ALCS and swept St. Louis. The 2018 club won 108 games, the most in franchise history.
Related
Yankees record by year · Dodgers record by year · AL East standings · World Series odds · MLB standings
The Bottom Line
The Red Sox are 10,044-9,336 across 125 seasons with nine World Series titles, five before 1919 and four since 2004. The table above covers every year since 1901.