Will the 2026 Red Sox Win Streak Make History?
With a July 19th besting of the Rays, the Red Sox recorded their 13th win in a row, tying the second-longest streak in their history. The last time Boston took that many consecutively, it was with a lineup that featured Ted Williams. It’s challenging to even comprehend the idea of baseball in 1948, to think about the woolen uniforms, imperfect fields, and static-filled radio broadcasts as being contemporary. To picture the players and coaches and fans, some of them born in the 19th century, some of them barely removed from the battlefields of World War II, as the people of the time. To wonder what was on their minds in the summer of ‘48, and what baseball meant to them. What is better understood is how much it means in 2026: an awful lot.
“You gotta be kidding me,” said Boston TV announcer Dave O’Brien. “You gotta be kidding me,” he understandably repeated. This was July 18th, and his team had just stormed back to take the lead against Tampa Bay. Wilyer Abreu capped off a wild four-run seventh inning with a bomb deep into the center field seats and a celebration that rivaled his epic World Baseball Classic moment. Fenway Park exploded, reaching decibels of noise that have not been heard in a long time. Many in the stands and dugout alike stood with their mouths open and hands on their heads, equal parts thrilled and dumbfounded. That’s been the average mood of late; maybe the same was true in 1948.
The shot at a record could come later this week. The number to beat is 15, tallied in 1946. The nine-time World Series Champions face the Orioles next, needing a sweep to break that all-time franchise mark. Record or not, though, 2026 is already a season to remember. It will always be the year that was brought back from the depths of misery to something both fun and contemplative. Though winning is a high, there’s a connection to history that also makes it deeply grounding. You think about the teams of yore with fondness that fosters closeness. Losing, on the other hand, is incredibly isolating. Surely, you think, no one has ever had it this bad, in any way, ever. It’s a disgrace to the decades of teams that once existed and are now a million miles away. It’s the rush of victory, and hope of victories to come, that enables you to reach out and touch the past. So, even if the history books require more wins before being edited, the 2026 Red Sox have already made history.
