"Mookie Betts was 0 for 20" - Red Sox manager recalls unforgettable moments from 2018 World Series-winning season

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora joined Sean Casey and Rich Ciancimino on "The Mayor's Office" podcast on Wednesday, going down memory lane recalling the 2018 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox won that series in five games against Clayton Kershaw & Co.

From unconventional strategies to breakthrough performances, Cora offered a behind-the-scenes look at what made that year so special.

One standout story involved right fielder Mookie Betts’ adjustment in approach. Cora encouraged Betts, who was the lead-off bat, to be more aggressive, resulting in 20 consecutive first-pitch swings during spring training — all of which ended in outs.

"In the schedule, it was the Rays, and at that point, Archer was with the Rays," Cora said (27:04 onwards). I said, ‘Hey, Mook, after all this stuff, you know what you’re going to do on Opening Day? First pitch, fastball—you’re going deep.’ He was like, ‘Oh no.’ I said, ‘Yeah, you’re swinging. You’ve got to change the whole thing. You have to make sure everybody knows we’re different than last year.’

"So in spring training, man, his first 20 at-bats, he swung at the first pitch 20 times, and he was 0 for 20. I’m like, ‘Holy [expletive], this is not gonna work.’ He took a few pitches after that, whatever. Long story short, we go to Tropicana Field, and I’m thinking, ‘Man, is he going to swing at it?’"

Despite the rough 0-for-20 in training, the adjustment almost paid off during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

"For me, it was like a big moment—like, he better freaking swing. First pitch, boom, ball to left-center," Cora added. "We were like, ‘Oh [expletive], he clipped it.’ But Kiermaier was in the corner in Tampa—you know, a lot of people die there. Kiermaier jumps and gets it. But it was like, ‘Okay, cool, they believe in what we’re preaching.’"

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Alex Cora recalls key players from Red Sox's 2018 winning run

Alex Cora also detailed other key moments, including Brock Holt’s historic cycle in the ALDS Game against the New York Yankees and the team’s reliance on analytics for defensive positioning.

He praised the Red Sox's resilience, the contributions of key players like Hanley Ramirez, Mitch Moreland and Nathan Eovaldi, and the leadership of then-GM Dave Dombrowski.

"Actually, Hanley Ramirez was a good player for us in April," Cora added. "He did an amazing job, drove in like 17 runs, stole four or five bases. Mitch Moreland was amazing, did a good job. In the ALDS, Game 3, Brock Holt hits for the cycle ... you know, Nate doing the things he did.

"Just a lot of good things, a lot of good people. Dave [Dombrowski], working with him, the way he goes about his thing—you know it. He’ll come down, say hi to everybody, and then disappear. Very humble guy, and he’s done it everywhere he goes.

"Having Pedro on the bench meant a lot; he was huge for us. The pitching staff—David Price, Porcello out of the bullpen, Chris Sale pitching hurt, Eovaldi, Eduardo—they almost pitched every game. It was fun," Red Sox manager said.

That season, the Red Sox beat the Yankees in the ALDS, followed by defeating the then-defending champions Houston Astros in ALCS before taking out NLCS champs, the Dodgers in the World Series, to win their ninth title.