The Red Sox are back in full swing for the 2018 season.

As of April 22, the Red Sox are 17-3 and are in a commanding lead in the American League East. Most recently, on Saturday April 21, the team suffered only its third loss of the season to the Oakland Athletics. The season began on March 29, against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Over the past two years, the Sox have earned back-to-back AL East titles while winning 186 total regular season games. The team is headed towards a potential three-peat with a dominating 2018 season so far.

The Boston Red Sox are a team loved — and widely despised, as all long-standing dynasties tend to be. Fans have tracked them through multiple World Series wins, most recently in 2013, and from the days of famous players like recently-retired Big Papi (David Ortiz), and pitcher Curt Schilling, who in 2004 led the team to its first World Series win since 1918.

Middle school math teacher and Mem East dorm parent Mrs. King has been a diehard fan for as long as she can remember.

“The Red Sox are my favorite team and have been since I was a young teen,” she said. “Love of the Red Sox has been passed down through the generations, first my grandfather who saw the Sox win in 1918 at the age of 11, to my mom and her brother to me, my sister and cousin and our husbands and now onto the next generation. We love to watch baseball, talk about it, debate it, enjoy every win and commiserate any loss.”

King and her husband also attended the winning World Series game in 2013 against the St. Louis Cardinals. Her favorite player was David Ortiz, King said, owing not just to his inspirational leadership of the team, but to his support for those in need through organizations outside of baseball. Now, her favorite player is [right fielder] Mookie Betts.

Williston Varsity Baseball player Ryan Dwyer ’19 is also a huge fan of the team.

“I’m a Sox fan mainly because when I moved to Western Mass I was pretty young, and around that time I started to follow professional baseball,” he said. “Naturally I started rooting for the Red Sox as they were the local team.”

Ryan’s favorite players are second basement Dustin Pedroia and Mookie Betts. Pedroia for his sportsmanship and dedication, and Betts because, as Ryan put it, “he is an absolute beast and is a very impressive player for his age.”

Ryan’s excited with how the Sox kicked off the season, and hopes they continue on their impressive streak.

“My hope is that they can keep this energy they’re showing right now and continue to play great baseball,” he said. “They still have a long season ahead of them, but if they keep doing what they’re doing it’s going to be a great one.”