The Red Sox, 104 wins, win the East of the American League for a third consecutive year

The Boston Red Sox held the best baseball record for most of the 2018 season, and on Thursday they earned their third consecutive title by beating the New York Yankees in a series finale in New York.

Boston has 104 wins this season, most of its history since 1946, and a team record set in 1912.

This is the third consecutive crown for the Red Sox, although the biggest difference in improving 11 wins (and the number) over last year is a much higher attack. The 2017 Red Sox placed sixth in the AHL in scoring, but after taking into account in the park and the Boston league had an inferior attack. In 2018, the Red Sox lead the overall standings in heats, strokes, doubles, batting average, base percentage, hit percentage and OPS.

Martinez was the biggest addition, signing a $ 110 million five-year contract. The hitter had an immediate impact in his first season with Boston, beating AL in hits, RBI (124) and percentage of hard shots, reaching .331 / .400 / .629 with 41 home runs.

Martinez is certainly an MVP candidate, but probably not the best of his own team. Mookie Betts was sublime, hitting .339 / .432 / .625 with 44 doubles, 30 homers, 28 steals and 121 runs, all playing stellar defenses in the right field. Betts leads the AL in Wins Above Replacement, both the Baseball-Reference version (10.0) and the FanGraphs version (9.4).

Betts was 4-in-5 with two doubles with three points scored Thursday, and hit a three-run circuit in the eighth inning that set the game apart. He rolled five times in the tire.

The Red Sox have not yet won the best baseball record, even if it's only a matter of time. They have an 8½-game lead over the Houston Astros (95-57) with nine games remaining.

Boston seems to be heading for a game of the American League Division against the winner of the Wild Card Game, likely a game between the Yankees and Oakland Athletics. Boston is 9-7 against New York this season, with three remaining regular season games, and 2-4 against Oakland.

The Red Sox are 54-21 at Fenway Park this season, the best home record of the majors, and will have the advantage of the field as long as they are alive during the playoffs.