2003 Boston Red Sox season

The search for a new general manager

Lucchino initially attempted to hire J. P. Ricciardi, the general manager of the Blue Jays, but Ricciardi rejected the offer and instead signed a long-term contract with the Blue Jays.

On November 10, 2002, Oakland Athletics General Manager, Billy Beane, accepted an offer to become the new general manager of the Red Sox. Beane had for several years publicly expressed his interest in joining the Red Sox, and his contract with Oakland included a stipulation that would allow Beane to consider an offer from the Red Sox. Beane had yet to sign the contract with the Red Sox, a contract in which he would be guaranteed $12.5 million over five years, the most anyone had been given to run a baseball team. The following day, however, Beane shocked the Red Sox when he declared that he would not accept their offer; the move to Boston would limit the amount of time that Beane would have to spend with his daughter.

On November 25, 2002, Theo Epstein, 28, was hired as general manager of the Boston Red Sox. Epstein's hiring made him the youngest general manager in major league history.

Offseason

• October 9, 2002: Brandon Lyon was selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox from the Toronto Blue Jays.
• November 6, 2002: Chris Coste signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• December 6, 2002: Wayne Gomes was released by the Boston Red Sox.
• December 12, 2002: The Red Sox acquired second baseman Todd Walker from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for two minor leaguers.
• December 15, 2002: Jeremy Giambi was acquired by the Red Sox from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for pitcher Josh Hancock.
• December 31, 2002: Ramiro Mendoza signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• January 10, 2003: Bill Mueller was signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• January 22, 2003: David Ortiz was signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• February 15, 2003: Kevin Millar was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Florida Marlins.
• March 7, 2003: The Red Sox signed Shea Hillenbrand, Casey Fossum, Javier Lopez, Jorge de la Rosa, Brandon Lyon, Andy Shibilo, Anastacio Martínez, César Crespo, Earl Snyder, and Freddy Sanchez; released Juan Peña.
• March 10, 2003: The Red Sox optioned Jorge de la Rosa, Anastacio Martínez, Ángel Santos, César Crespo, and Freddy Sanchez to Pawtucket; assigned Kevin Youkilis and Hansel Izquierdo to minor-league camp.
• March 12, 2003: The Red Sox placed Benny Agbayani and Willie Banks on waivers.
• March 14, 2003: The Red Sox optioned Andy Shibilo to Pawtucket; assigned Justin Kaye, Kris Foster, Tom Davey, Kevin Tolar, Brian Loyd and Andy Dominique to minor-league camp.
• March 18, 2003: The Red Sox traded Javier López to Colorado for future considerations.
• March 21, 2003: The Red Sox assigned Earl Snyder, Julio Zuleta, and Lou Collier to minor-league camp.
• March 22, 2003: The Red Sox optioned Ryan Rupe to Pawtucket and returned Jeff Smith to minor-league camp for reassignment.
• March 26, 2003: The Red Sox waived Frank Castillo and returned Adrian Brown to Tampa Bay.
• March 28, 2003: The Red Sox claimed Dicky Gonzalez off of waivers from Montreal.
• March 30, 2003: The Red Sox designated Dicky Gonzalez for assignment and purchased Steve Woodard for assignment.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

• April 11, 2003: Bill Haselman signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• May 29, 2003: Byung-Hyun Kim was acquired by the Red Sox from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Shea Hillenbrand.
• June 28, 2003: Gabe Kapler was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Colorado Rockies.
• July 22, 2003: Scott Sauerbeck and Mike Gonzalez were acquired by the Red Sox from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Brandon Lyon and Anastacio Martínez.
• July 30, 2003: Chad Fox was released by the Red Sox. Scott Williamson was acquired by the Red Sox from the Cincinnati Reds.
• July 31, 2003: Freddy Sanchez and Mike Gonzalez were traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jeff Suppan. The Red Sox also re-acquired Brandon Lyon and Anastacio Martínez.
• August 4, 2003: David McCarty was acquired off waivers by the Red Sox from the Oakland Athletics.
• August 28, 2003: Lou Merloni was acquired by the Red Sox from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league pitcher Rene Miniel.

Opening Day lineup

Roster

Game log

|- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 1 || March 31 || @Devil Rays || 6–4 || McClung (1–0) || Fox (0–1) || — || 34,391 || 0–1 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 2 || April 1 || @Devil Rays || 9–8 (16)|| Lyon (1–0) || Sosa (0–1) || — || 11,524 || 1–1 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 3 || April 2 || @Devil Rays || 7–5 || Lowe (1–0) || Parque (0–1) || Fox (1) || 10,058 || 2–1 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 4 || April 3 || @Devil Rays || 14–5 || Fossum (1–0) || Bierbrodt (0–1) || — || 12,110 || 3–1 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 5 || April 4 || @Orioles || 8–7 || Burkett (1–0) || Ponson (0–1) || — || 27,256 || 4–1 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 6 || April 5 || @Orioles || 2–1 || Ryan (2–0) || Fox (0–2) || — || 41,821 || 4–2 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 7 || April 6 || @Orioles || 12–2 || Wakefield (1–0) || López (0–1) || — || 30,046 || 5–2 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 8 || April 8 || @Blue Jays || 8–4 || Hendrickson (1–1) || Lowe (1–1) || — || 13,147 || 5–3 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 9 || April 9 || @Blue Jays || 10–5 || Sturtze (2–0) || Fossum (1–1) || — || 13,099 || 5–4 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 10 || April 10 || @Blue Jays || 8–7 || Timlin (1–0) || Politte (0–1) || — || 13,779 || 6–4 |- style="background-color:#bbbbbb" | – || April 11 || Orioles || colspan=5|Postponed || 6–4 |- style="background-color:#bbbbbb" | – || April 12 || Orioles || colspan=5|Postponed || 6–4 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 11 || April 12 || Orioles || 13–6 || Johnson (1–0) || Martínez (1–1) ||—|| 32,029 || 6–5 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 12 || April 13 || Orioles || 2–0 || Lowe (2–1) || López (0–2) || Wakefield (1) || 32,368 || 7–5 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 13 || April 15 || Devil Rays || 6–5 || Timlin (2–0) || Levine (1–1) || — || 29,617 || 8–5 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 14 || April 16 || Devil Rays || 6–4 || Fox (1–2) || Carter (3–1) || Lyon (1) || 26,688 || 9–5 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 15 || April 17 || Devil Rays || 6–0 || Martínez (1–1) || Kennedy (0–1) || — || 30,909 || 10–5 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 16 || April 18 || Blue Jays || 7–3 || Wakefield (2–0) || Tam (0–1) || — || 19,545 || 11–5 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 17 || April 19 || Blue Jays || 7–2 || Derek Lowe (3–1) || Sturtze (2–1) || — || 32,329 || 12–5 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 18 || April 20 || Blue Jays || 6–5 || Timlin (3–0) || Politte (0–2) || — || 29,579 || 13–5 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 19 || April 21 || Blue Jays || 11–6 || Lidle (3–2) || Burkett (1–1) || — || 34,370 || 13–6 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 20 || April 22 || @Rangers || 5–4 || Martínez (2–1) || Park (1–3) || Fox (2) || 20,158 || 14–6 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 21 || April 23 || @Rangers || 6–1 || Thomson (1–2) || Wakefield (2–1) || — || 20,042 || 14–7 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 22 || April 24 || @Rangers || 16–5 || Dickey (1–1) || Lowe (3–2) || — || 21,063 || 14–8 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 23 || April 25 || @Angels || 5–2 || Fossum (2–1) || Washburn (1–3) || Fox (3) || 37,203 || 15–8 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" | 24 || April 26 || @Angels || 3–1 || Shields (1–0) || Burkett (1–2) || Percival (3) || 43,514 || 15–9 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 25 || April 27 || @Angels || 6–4 (14) || Mendoza (1–0) || Callaway (1–3) || Shiell (1) || 43,690 || 16–9 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 26 || April 29 || Royals || 7–2 || Wakefield (3–1) || George (3–2) || — || 40,348 || 17–9 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" | 27 || April 30 || Royals || 5–4 || Embree (1–0) || MacDougal (1–2) || — || 31,334 || 18–9 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||28||May 1||Royals||6–5||Shiell (1–0)||Grimsley (1–2)||Lyon (2)||31,950||19–9 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||29||May 2||Twins||11–7||Santana (1–0)||Mendoza (1–1)||—||31,317||19–10 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||30||May 3||Twins||9–1||Martínez (3–1)||Fiore (1–1)||—||33,061||20–10 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||31||May 4||Twins||9–4||Rogers (4–1)||Timlin (3–1)||—||32,887||20–11 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||32||May 5||@ Royals||7–6||Lopez (4–0)||Lyon (1–1)||—||21,232||20–12 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||33||May 6||@ Royals||7–3||Fossum (3–1)||Affeldt (2–1)||—||15,848||21–12 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||34||May 7||@ Royals||9–6||Woodard (1–0)||Lopez (4–1)||Lyon (3)||28,268||22–12 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||35||May 9||@ Twins||5–0||Santana (2–0)||Martínez (3–2)||—||28,436||22–13 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||36||May 10||@ Twins||6–5||Wakefield (4–1)||Rincón (1–1)||Lyon (4)||26,346||23–13 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||37||May 11||@ Twins||9–8||Radke (4–3)||Lowe (3–3)||Guardado (8)||15,641||23–14 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||38||May 13||Rangers||5–4||Embree (2–0)||Cordero (1–4)||Lyon (5)||31,956||24–14 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||39||May 14||Rangers||7–1||Fossum (4–1)||Benoit (1–1)||—||32,485||25–14 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||40||May 15||Rangers||12–3||Martínez (4–2)||Benes (0–2)||—||33,801||26–14 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||41||May 16||Angels||6–5||Rodríguez (4–1)||Embree (2–1)||Percival (6)||33,170||26–15 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||42||May 17||Angels||6–2||Washburn (4–4)||Timlin (3–2)||Percival (7)||33,327||26–16 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||43||May 18||Angels||5–3||Burkett (2–2)||Lackey (2–4)||Person (1)||33,347||27–16 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||44||May 19||Yankees||7–3||Wells (6–1)||Fossum (4–2)||—||35,099||27–17 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||45||May 20||Yankees||10–7||Embree (3–1)||Contreras (1–1)||Lyon (6)||35,007||28–17 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||46||May 21||Yankees||4–2||Clemens (6–2)||Wakefield (4–2)||Rivera (4)||35,003||28–18 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||47||May 23||Indians||9–2||Lowe (4–3)||Rodríguez (2–5)||—||32,673||29–18 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||48||May 24||Indians||12–3||Burkett (3–2)||Anderson (2–5)||—||32,643||30–18 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||49||May 25||Indians||6–4||Davis (4–4)||Fossum (4–3)||Báez (9)||34,318||30–19 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" ||50||May 26||@ Yankees||8–4||Wakefield (5–2)||Clemens (6–3)||—||55,093||31–19 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||51||May 27||@ Yankees||11–3||Pettitte (5–5)||Chen (0–1)||—||44,769||31–20 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||52||May 28||@ Yankees||6–5||Rivera (1–0)||Lyon (1–2)||—||44,617||31–21 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||53||May 30||@ Blue Jays||13–2||Davis (3–3)||Burkett (3–3)||—||21,381||31–22 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" ||54||May 31||@ Blue Jays||10–7||Sturtze (5–4)||Fossum (4–4)||Politte (9)||28,809||31–23 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |55||June 1||@ Blue Jays||11–8||Halladay (7–2) ||White (0–1) ||—||26,890||31–24 |- style="background-color:#bbbbbb" || – ||June 3||@ Pirates|| colspan=5|Postponed (makeup date: June 4 as part of a doubleheader)||31–24 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |56||June 4||@ Pirates||11–4||Kim (2–5) ||Benson (5–6) ||—||N/A||32–24 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |57||June 4||@ Pirates||8–3||Lowe (5–3) ||D'Amico (4–6) ||—||27,769||33–24 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |58||June 5||@ Pirates||5–4||Boehringer (3–1) ||Mendoza (1–2) ||Williams (16) ||33,372||33–25 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |59||June 6||@ Brewers||9–3||Durocher (2–0) ||Almonte (0–1) ||—||20,195||33–26 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |60||June 7||@ Brewers||11–10||Lyon (2–2) ||DeJean (2–4) ||Timlin (1) ||34,242||34–26 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |61||June 8||@ Brewers||9–1||Lowe (6–3) ||Rusch (1–9) ||—||20,784||35–26 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |62||June 10||Cardinals||9–7||Kline (3–4) ||Lyon (2–3) ||Eldred (8) ||34,937||35–27 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |63||June 11||Cardinals||13–1||Burkett (4–3) ||Tomko (2–5) ||—||33,453||36–27 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |64||June 12||Cardinals||8–7 (13)||Yan (2–1) ||Mendoza (1–3) ||—||34,389||36–28 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |65||June 13||Astros||4–3||Rupe (1–0) ||Stone (4–2) ||Lyon (7) ||33,244||37–28 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |66||June 14||Astros||8–4||Lowe (7–3) ||Redding (4–5) ||—||34,562||38–28 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |67||June 15||Astros||3–2 (14)||Shiell (2–0) ||Bland (1–2) ||—||34,085||39–28 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |68||June 16||@ White Sox||4–2||Buehrle (3–10) ||Rupe (1–1) ||Gordon (1) ||30,779||39–29 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |69||June 17||@ White Sox||7–4||Burkett (5–3) ||Colón (6–7) ||Lyon (8) ||19,887||40–29 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |70||June 18||@ White Sox||3–1||Loaiza (10–2) ||Wakefield (5–3) ||Koch (9) ||18,708||40–30 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |71||June 19||@ White Sox||4–3 10||Lyon (3–3) ||Koch (2–3) ||—||17,225||41–30 |- style="background-color:#bbbbbb" ||-- ||June 20||@ Phillies|| colspan=5|Postponed (makeup date: September 1)||41–30 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |72||June 21||@ Phillies||6–5 (13)||Mesa (3–4) ||Seánez (0–1) ||—||35,512||41–31 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |73||June 22||@ Phillies||5–0||Myers (6–6) ||Kim (2–6) ||—||60,960||41–32 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |74||June 23||Tigers||3–1||Wakefield (6–3) ||Bonderman (2–11) ||Timlin (2) ||33,814||42–32 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |75||June 24||Tigers||10–1||Lowe (8–3) ||Cornejo (3–6) ||—||33,848||43–32 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |76||June 25||Tigers||11–2||Burkett (6–3) ||Maroth (2–12) ||—||33,587||44–32 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |77||June 26||Tigers||6–4||Martínez (5–2) ||Roney (0–2) ||Lyon (9) ||34,415||45–32 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |78||June 27||Marlins||25–8||Kim (3–6) ||Pavano (6–9) ||—||34,764||46–32 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |79||June 28||Marlins||10–9||Bump (1–0) ||Lyon (3–4) ||Looper (14) ||34,804||46–33 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |80||June 29||Marlins||11–7||Lowe (9–3) ||Penny (6–6) ||—||34,476||47–33 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |81||July 1||@ Devil Rays||4–3 (11)||Carter (5–3) ||Lyon (3–5) ||—||12,122||47–34 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |82||July 2||@ Devil Rays||5–4||Martínez (6–2) ||Colomé (1–4) ||Kim (1) ||14,345||48–34 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |83||July 3||@ Devil Rays||6–5 (10)||Harper (1–4) ||Timlin (3–3) ||—||12,838||48–35 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |84||July 4||@ Yankees||10–3||Lowe (10–3) ||Wells (10–3) ||—||55,144||49–35 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |85||July 5||@ Yankees||10–2||Mendoza (2–3) ||Clemens (8–6) ||—||54,948||50–35 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |86||July 6||@ Yankees||7–1||Pettitte (10–6) ||Burkett (6–4) ||—||54,918||50–36 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |87||July 7||@ Yankees||2–1||Rivera (3–0) ||Kim (3–7) ||—||55,016||50–37 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |88||July 8||@ Blue Jays||2–1 (12)||Jones (2–4) ||Tam (0–3) ||Kim (2) ||20,022||51–37 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |89||July 9||@ Blue Jays||8–7||Lyon (4–5) ||Tam (0–4) ||Kim (3) ||23,551||52–37 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |90||July 10||@ Blue Jays||7–1||Mendoza (3–3) ||Lidle (10–8) ||—||20,113||53–37 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |91||July 11||@ Tigers||5–3||Burkett (7–4) ||Maroth (4–13) ||Kim (4) ||26,538||54–37 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |92||July 12||@ Tigers||4–2 (11)||Jones (3–4) ||Rodney (0–1) ||Kim (5) ||23,206||55–37 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |93||July 13||@ Tigers||3–0||Ledezma (3–2) ||Wakefield (6–4) ||Mears (4) ||23,829||55–38 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |94||July 17||Blue Jays||5–2||Halladay (14–2) ||Lowe (10–4) ||—||34,521||55–39 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |95||July 18||Blue Jays||4–1||Escobar (6–6) ||Wakefield (6–5) ||Miller (1) ||34,136||55–40 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |96||July 19||Blue Jays||5–4 (10)||Kim (4–7) ||López (1–3) ||—||34,812||56–40 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |97||July 20||Blue Jays||9–4||Martínez (7–2) ||Wasdin (0–1) ||—||34,321||57–40 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |98||July 21||Tigers||14–5||Burkett (8–4) ||Bonderman (3–14) ||Fossum (1) ||33,823||58–40 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |99||July 22||Tigers||7–4||Lowe (11–4) ||Maroth (5–14) ||—||33,570||59–40 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |100||July 23||Devil Rays||10–4||Wakefield (7–5) ||Harper (1–6) ||—||33,446||60–40 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |101||July 24||Devil Rays||15–9||Zambrano (7–5) ||Mendoza (3–4) ||—||33,521||60–41 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |102||July 25||Yankees||4–3||Rivera (5–0) ||Kim (4–8) ||—||34,873||60–42 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |103||July 26||Yankees||5–4||Kim (5–8) ||Benítez (3–4) ||—||34,356||61–42 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |104||July 27||Yankees||6–4||Fossum (5–4) ||Hammond (2–1) ||Kim (6) ||34,787||62–42 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |105||July 29||@ Rangers||14–7||Wakefield (8–5) ||García (1–1) ||—||24,632||63–42 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |106||July 30||@ Rangers||9–2||Ellis (1–1) ||Mendoza (3–5) ||—||25,354||63–43 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |107||July 31||@ Rangers||7–3 (11)||Ramirez (2–0) ||Jones (3–5) ||—||27,108||63–44 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |108||August 1||@ Orioles||2–1||Hentgen (4–5) ||Burkett (8–5) ||Julio (25) ||41,188||63–45 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |109||August 2||@ Orioles||11–2||Lopez (4–6) ||Lowe (11–5) ||—||49,334||63–46 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |110||August 3||@ Orioles||7–5||Wakefield (9–5) ||Helling (6–8) ||Kim (7) ||42,085||64–46 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |111||August 5||Angels||10–9||Timlin (4–3) ||Donnelly (2–2) ||Kim (8) ||34,678||65–46 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |112||August 6||Angels||4–2||Martínez (8–2) ||Sele (6–9) ||—||35,040||66–46 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |113||August 7||Angels||9–3||Burkett (9–5) ||Ortiz (13–9) ||—||34,570||67–46 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |114||August 8||Orioles||10–4||Helling (7–8) ||Lowe (11–6) ||—||35,099||67–47 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |115||August 8||Orioles||4–2||DuBose (1–1) ||Fossum (5–5) ||Julio (28) ||34,595||67–48 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |116||August 9||Orioles||6–4||Embree (4–1) ||Driskill (3–5) ||Kim (9) ||34,883||68–48 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |117||August 10||Orioles||5–3||Johnson (10–5) ||Suppan (10–8) ||Julio (29) ||34,239||68–49 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |118||August 11||@ Athletics||4–0||Hudson (11–4) ||Martínez (8–3) ||—||33,504||68–50 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |119||August 12||@ Athletics||5–3||Zito (9–10) ||Burkett (9–6) ||Foulke (30) ||26,823||68–51 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |120||August 13||@ Athletics||7–3||Lowe (12–6) ||Mulder (15–9) ||—||44,868||69–51 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |121||August 14||@ Athletics||4–2 (10)||Kim (6–8) ||Mecir (2–2) ||—||37,293||70–51 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |122||August 15||@ Mariners||10–5||Mateo (4–0) ||Timlin (4–4) ||Hasegawa (12) ||46,171||70–52 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |123||August 16||@ Mariners||5–1||Martínez (9–3) ||Piñeiro (13–8) ||—||46,100||71–52 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |124||August 17||@ Mariners||3–1||García (11–12) ||Burkett (9–7) ||Hasegawa (13) ||46,105||71–53 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |125||August 19||Athletics||3–2||Rincón (7–4) ||Williamson (5–4) ||Foulke (33) ||34,879||71–54 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |126||August 20||Athletics||8–6||Bradford (7–3) ||Kim (6–9) ||Foulke (34) ||34,798||71–55 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |127||August 21||Athletics||14–5||Fossum (6–5) ||Harden (3–3) ||—||34,844||72–55 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |128||August 22||Mariners||6–4||Suppan (11–8) ||Piñeiro (13–9) ||Kim (10) ||34,379||73–55 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |129||August 23||Mariners||7–6 (10)||Timlin (5–4) ||Sasaki (1–2) ||—||34,488||74–55 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |130||August 24||Mariners||6–1||Lowe (13–6) ||Franklin (9–11) ||—||34,344||75–55 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |131||August 25||Mariners||8–1||Martínez (10–3) ||Meche (13–10) ||Arroyo (1) ||33,007||76–55 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |132||August 26||Blue Jays||12–9||Towers (4–1) ||Sauerbeck (3–5) ||López (7) ||33,731||76–56 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |133||August 27||Blue Jays||6–3||Timlin (6–4) ||Halladay (17–6) ||Kim (11) ||34,206||77–56 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |134||August 29||Yankees||10–5||Lowe (14–6) ||Contreras (4–2) ||—||34,854||78–56 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |135||August 30||Yankees||10–7||Pettitte (17–7) ||Martínez (10–4) ||Rivera (30) ||34,350||78–57 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |136||August 31||Yankees||8–4||Clemens (13–8) ||Wakefield (9–6) ||Rivera (31) ||34,482||78–58 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |137||September 1||@ Phillies||13–9||Kim (7–9) ||Mesa (5–7) ||—||61,068||79–58 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |138||September 2||@ White Sox||2–1||Burkett (10–7) ||Colón (12–12) ||Kim (12) ||23,943||80–58 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |139||September 3||@ White Sox||5–4 (10)||Kim (8–9) ||Gordon (6–6) ||—||20,082||81–58 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |140||September 5||@ Yankees||9–3||Martínez (11–4) ||Pettitte (17–8) ||—||55,261||82–58 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |141||September 6||@ Yankees||12–0||Wakefield (10–6) ||Clemens (13–9) ||—||55,237||83–58 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |142||September 7||@ Yankees||3–1||Wells (13–6) ||Suppan (11–9) ||Rivera (33) ||55,212||83–59 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |143||September 8||@ Orioles||13–10||Ligtenberg (2–2) ||Kim (8–10) ||—||23,276||83–60 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |144||September 9||@ Orioles||9–2||Lowe (15–6) ||Moss (10–11) ||—||25,265||84–60 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |145||September 10||@ Orioles||5–0||Martínez (12–4) ||Johnson (10–7) ||—||25,143||85–60 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |146||September 12||White Sox||7–4||Suppan (12–9) ||Wright (1–6) ||Kim (13) ||34,890||86–60 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |147||September 13||White Sox||3–1||Colón (14–12) ||Wakefield (10–7) ||—||34,414||86–61 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |148||September 14||White Sox||7–2||Buehrle (13–13) ||Burkett (10–8) ||Marte (11) ||34,174||86–62 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |149||September 15||Devil Rays||8–2||Lowe (16–6) ||Sosa (5–11) ||—||33,389||87–62 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |150||September 16||Devil Rays||3–2||Martínez (13–4) ||Harper (4–8) ||—||33,618||88–62 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |151||September 17||Devil Rays||7–0||Zambrano (11–9) ||Suppan (12–10) ||—||33,806||88–63 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |152||September 18||Devil Rays||4–3||Wakefield (11–7) ||Bell (4–4) ||Kim (14) ||34,042||89–63 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |153||September 19||@ Indians||2–0||Burkett (11–8) ||Stanford (0–3) ||Embree (1) ||20,374||90–63 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |154||September 20||@ Indians||13–4||Dave Lee (1–0) ||Lowe (16–7) ||—||23,242||90–64 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |155||September 21||@ Indians||2–0||Martínez (14–4) ||Cliff Lee (3–2) ||Kim (15) ||27,655||91–64 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |156||September 22||Orioles||7–5||Suppan (13–10) ||Johnson (10–9) ||Kim (16) ||33,821||92–64 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |157||September 23||Orioles||6–5 (10)||Kim (9–10) ||Ainsworth (5–5) ||—||33,723||93–64 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |158||September 24||Orioles||7–3||Hentgen (7–8) ||Burkett (11–9) ||—||34,607||93–65 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |159||September 25||Orioles||14–3||Lowe (17–7) ||Daal (4–11) ||—||34,526||94–65 |- style="background-color:#bbffbb" |160||September 26||@ Devil Rays||7–2||Burkett (12–9) ||González (6–11) ||—||21,240||95–65 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |161||September 27||@ Devil Rays||5–4||Gaudin (2–0) ||Suppan (13–11) ||Carter (25) ||25,635||95–66 |- style="background-color:#ffbbbb" |162||September 28||@ Devil Rays||3–1||Zambrano (12–10) ||Lyon (4–6) ||Carter (26) ||24,138||95–67

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

Postseason

ALDS vs. Oakland Athletics

Main article: 2003 American League Division Series

As the AL wild card, the Red Sox entered the first round of the playoffs against the Oakland Athletics. Despite losing the first two games in Oakland, Boston rebounded with two dramatic wins in the late innings at Fenway Park to even the series. When the series returned to Oakland, the Red Sox held off a late Oakland charge to win the series in five games. In doing so, they joined the 1995 Mariners and 1999 Red Sox in coming back from a two-game deficit to win a best-of-five ALDS.

Boston wins the series, 3–2

ALCS vs. New York Yankees

Main article: 2003 American League Championship Series

The stage was set for a classic showdown with longtime division rival, the New York Yankees. The teams split the first two games in the Bronx before the real drama unfolded in Game 3 at Fenway Park. A highly anticipated matchup between Sox ace Pedro Martínez and former Sox' pitcher Roger Clemens turned ugly early on. Karim García was hit in the back by a Martínez fastball. Words were exchanged and Martínez threateningly gestured towards Yankee catcher Jorge Posada. When Garcia was forced out at second, he slid hard into Todd Walker. The following inning, Manny Ramírez took exception to a high Clemens pitch and charged the mound. Both benches cleared, but the resulting brawl turned surreal when 72-year-old Yankee bench coach Don Zimmer charged Martínez. Martínez sidestepped and threw Zimmer to the ground. After a thirteen-minute delay, Clemens struck out Ramírez and proceeded to pitch effectively as the Yankees took a 2–1 series lead. The Red Sox won Game 4, but the Yankees won Game 5 to take the series' lead back to New York. But Boston proved resilient, and their offense came alive for the first time in the series to the tune of nine runs on sixteen hits to force a seventh game. With a 4–0 lead early on and Martínez pitching, Boston appeared to be on the brink of winning the pennant. But when Martinez started to get tired in the end of the 6th inning, instead of taking him out as he always had in that situation, manager Grady Little not only left him in to finish the inning, but sent him out in the seventh and the eighth. despite allowing several baserunners. Predictably, the Yankees tied the game 5–5 with three eighth-inning runs off Martínez, sending the game on into the October night. Yankee closer Mariano Rivera pitched three scoreless innings, and in the bottom of the eleventh, Aaron Boone turned on the first offering from Tim Wakefield and sent it into the frenzied bleachers of Yankee Stadium, sending the Yankees on to the World Series for the fifth time in six years. This game further cemented the legend many believed was The Curse of the Bambino.

New York wins the series, 4–3

Awards and honors

• Bill Mueller, Silver Slugger Award (3B)
• Manny Ramirez, Silver Slugger Award (OF)

;All-Star Game

• Nomar Garciaparra, reserve SS
• Manny Ramirez, starting OF (did not attend)
• Jason Varitek, reserve C (fan vote selection)

Farm system

The Portland Sea Dogs replaced the Trenton Thunder as the Red Sox' Double-A affiliate. The Red Sox fielded two teams in the Dominican Summer League, while not participating in the Venezuelan Summer League, following the Venezuelan general strike of 2002–03.

Source:

References

• Season standings: American League East Standings on ESPN.com
• Game logs: Boston Red Sox Game Log on baseball-reference.com
• Batting Statistics: Boston Red Sox Batting Stats on ESPN.com
• Pitching Statistics: Boston Red Sox Pitching Stats on ESPN.com

References

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