From start to finish, the 2018 Red Sox led a charmed life.
After finishing with the best record of any team in the Grapefruit League, the Red Sox sprinted to a 17-2 start. They never fell more than two games out of first all season, never experienced a losing streak longer than three games and held onto first place in the American League East from June 27 through the rest of the season.
They finished with a plus-239 run differential. They led the league in virtually every significant offensive category except home runs.
Which isn't to say that they were "lucky,'' or didn't earn their 108-win season or the championship that followed in October.
There was nothing fluky about the team's record-setting season and nothing was given to them. The Red Sox earned every win, right down to the last one, the Game 5 World Series clincher in Dodger Stadium.
But it was a season in which virtually everything went right.
- With the exception of second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who made a cameo appearance at the end of May for three games then never played again, the team was able to avoid long-term serious injuries to their core players.
- A 29-year-old journeyman, Ryan Brasier, who began the year emailing teams to attend his Arizona tryout, ended the season as one of the most trusted bullpen options.
- Two trade deadline acquisitions -- Nathan Eovaldi and Steve Pearce -- delivered even more than had been hoped and became huge postseason factors, with Eovaldi turning in a marathon relief appearance for the ages and Pearce taking World Series MVP honors.
