1970 Boston Red Sox season

The 1970 Boston Red Sox season was the 70th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished third in the American League East with a record of 87 wins and 75 losses, 21 games behind the Baltimore Orioles, who went on to win the AL championship and the 1970 World Series.

Offseason 
 December 13, 1969: Dalton Jones was traded by the Red Sox to the Detroit Tigers for Tom Matchick.

Regular season 
The 1970s began with a new manager for the Red Sox. After the firing of Dick Williams near the end of the 1969 season, general manager Dick O'Connell reached down into the farm system again for a replacement and came up with Eddie Kasko, who had managed the Red Sox AAA farm team at Louisville to a second-place finish in 1969. Eddie had been an infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox for 10 years (and eventually became the scouting director for Boston).

Eddie took over a team in transition in 1970. Its leading pitcher was Ray Culp, with 17 wins. Jim Lonborg, the superstar of 1967, still was not back in form and went 4–1. Carl Yastrzemski led the team and the American League, with a .329 average, and Tony Conigliaro appeared to have recovered from the horrible beaning of 1967, hitting .266, with 36 home runs and 116 RBIs. Reggie Smith hit .303, and George Scott had a banner year at .296, with 16 homers and 63 RBIs. Unfortunately the Red Sox finished 21 games back of the rampaging Baltimore Orioles, who won 108 games and then went on to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in the 1970 World Series, 4 games to 1.

There were no scheduled doubleheaders this season at Fenway Park.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day lineup

Notable transactions 
 May 28, 1970: Tom Matchick was traded by the Red Sox to the Kansas City Royals for Mike Fiore.
 July 14, 1970: Chuck Hartenstein was acquired by the Red Sox from the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a conditional deal.

Roster

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position 
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Other batters 
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pitching

Starting pitchers 
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers 
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers 
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Awards and honors 
Tony Conigliaro, Hutch Award

Farm system 

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Winston-Salem, Greenville

Notes

References 

1970 Boston Red Sox team page at Baseball Reference
1970 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com

Category:Boston Red Sox seasons
Boston Red Sox season
Red Sox season
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