Steve Trefz

Tampa Bay Rays -September 19-21 George M. Steinbrenner Field - Capacity 11,026 2024 Attendance (at Tropicana Field): 1,337,739 (Averaged 16,515, 14th in AL, 28th overall) The Red Sox are one of the few teams that offer their fans two trips to the cozy environment of Steinbrenner Field during the season. If you missed the trip on Road Trip Number Two, don’t miss it now when the season is on the line. Odds are that one of the teams will still have something to play for, so given the tiny capacity of the ballpark, you might need to snap up your tickets early. From the sunny shores of Tampa, the Sox grab their passports and head back to Canada to face the rival Blue Jays. Toronto Blue Jays - September 23-25 Rogers Centre – Capacity 39,150 2024 attendance was 2,681,236 (Averaged 33,101, third in AL, ninth overall) After a travel off-day, the Red Sox return to Rogers Centre to take on a most-likely depleted Blue Jays roster. If they can’t make a run, the Toronto stars that faced the Sox on Road Trip Number Three might no longer be wearing blue by September. Can the Sox take advantage, or will they be in the same boat? And there you have it Sox fans, after 46,657 miles of road trips, Boston will finally return home one more time to finish the season against the Detroit Tigers. When the season ends on September 28, where do you think all of these games and trips and memories will leave the Red Sox? With more games to play in the postseason, or left wondering what might have been? Only time will tell, but I hope you get a chance to experience the story somewhere in person in 2025.

Arizona Diamondbacks - September 5-7 Chase Field - Capacity 48,405 2024 Attendance: 2,341,876 (Averaged 28,912, 11th in NL, 18th overall) The Red Sox last invaded the desert confines of Chase Field in 2023, and they erupted for seven runs in an opening-game victory, survived a game two 2-1 nailbiter, then dropped the getaway game. In three trips and nine games in Phoenix since 2007, the Red Sox have gone 5-4. Chase Field is worth the trip in and of itself. The stadium opened in 1998, boasting a retractable roof and plenty of room to roam. From the outfield swimming pool and restaurants to the kid-friendly experiences, the park has plenty to offer a visiting fan. As the fourth-oldest stadium in the National League, renovations are in order, and the funding fight has been circling the media again. Will another playoff run seal the deal, or will Ken Kendrick follow the ownership playbook and threaten to decamp for greener pastures without extra taxpayer money? The team opened a 20th Anniversary Experience exhibit in 2022, a good reminder that this young franchise had won a World Series against the Yankees during my lifetime. While it seemed a bit overambitious at the time, in 2023, they almost repeated the feat before ultimately falling to the Rangers. This balanced and youthful team remains loaded and ready to keep aiming for championships, while the MLB remains the media rights owner of the team. How will the finances support keeping the young nucleus intact? The Phoenix area offers many hiking and outdoor activities, delicious local eateries, and indoor entertainment venues. The abundance of spring training parks also allows you to catch a rookie league game or two while you are there. However, since the trip happens this early in the season, it is not as optimal. From Chase Field, the Red Sox will head west, just not as far west as they might be used to traveling, because the Athletics are no longer waiting for them in Oakland. They'll make their first-ever road trip to the bustling metropolis of Sacramento. The Athletics - September 8-10 Sutter Health Park - Capacity 14,014 2024 Attendance (in Oakland): 922,286 (Averaged 11,528, 15th in, 30th overall) When the Red Sox made their last-ever trip to Oakland to play the Athletics in April 2024, they were definitely rude guests. A three-game sweep, with a blowout win and two one-run games, got Boston off to a hot start and set up Oakland for the disappointment to come. Boston had been making the cross-country road trip to play the Athletics since 1968. Unfortunately, ownership didn't do any maintenance since then, so now the Red Sox have to travel to Sacramento to play the A's. Overall the Red Sox have not enjoyed their trips to Oakland, going 132-153 over the decades. The Athletics were the only club to draw fewer than a million fans in 2024. This isn't surprising because Oakland had already decided to leave the community, but it's still a harsh reality for the players. The offseason has seen the Athletics finalize their Las Vegas Stadium plan, spend to retain Brent Rooker, and add Luis Severino and Gio Urshela. They appear to be a team on the rise and will enter Vegas strong in 2028. In the meantime, Sutter Health Park will provide an intimate setting, allowing any visiting team's fans to get extremely close to their favorite team. California's state capital has a surprising amount to offer tourists and baseball fans alike. The Sacramento River offers recreation, wineries, and restaurants, and it shows some of California's best, but off-the-beaten-trail, coastline. The Crocker Art Museum and the State Railroad Museum trend as popular destinations, and opposing fans should be able to track around town with their team with a spring training vibe during games that count! After these two series, Boston travels home to host the Yankees and Athletics. It’s time to make hay while the A’s shine, but will the Sox be able to capitalize when they will be favored? How do you think this western journey will go, Sox fans?

New York Yankees - August 21-24 Yankee Stadium - Capacity 46,537 2024 Attendance: 3,309,838 (Averaged 41,896, first in AL, 2nd overall) Road trip number six in early June only involved the Yankees. This time, the Sox must square off four straight days in the heat of August, and then travel on to face another playoff contender. How this series goes, in terms of rotation usage and bullpen health, will go a long way toward setting up the Sox for success in Baltimore. If the Red Sox get some length from their starters, they'll be set up for success against the Orioles. If they don't, the patient, powerful Baltimore lineup could expose their bullpen. Every game matters, but managing for the bigger picture on this grueling trip will also be important, as Boston leaves one enemy to face another. Baltimore Orioles - August 25-28 Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Capacity 44,970 2024 Attendance: 2,281,129 (Averaged 28,514, eighth in AL, 19th overall) The first road trip of the season takes the Red Sox through Baltimore, so it's fitting that takes nearly a full season to return. Odds are that the two teams' fates will have diverged by the time the end of August rolls around. Will Eutaw Street be full of Oriole fans dreaming of the playoffs, or talking about next year? Whoever is left standing will have to make a stand when this series takes place. From here, the Sox head home to host the Pirates and Guardians. No rest for contenders in September. Do you think the Sox will be the ones contending?

San Diego Padres – August 8-10 Petco Park: Capacity 42,000 2024 Attendance: 3,330,545 (Averaged 41,117, third in NL, fourth overall) The Red Sox last traveled to San Diego in May 2023. They were 24-20 and trying to maintain some momentum with a surprising start. The first two games went Boston's way, with relatively easy victories. The getaway day game was a 0-7 flop, leaving the Red Sox one game better in the standings than they were when they arrived. Overall, the Red Sox have made four trips to San Diego and they have won every series, two games to one, going 8-4 since interleague play first sent them across the country in 2007. The Padres franchise started in 1969, and while a host of Hall of Famers have donned the jersey, none has brought home a World Series. Tony Gwynn helped lead them to National League pennants in 1984 and 1998, but even a recent spend-a-thon couldn’t bring sustained success to the club. Now, the team finds itself trying to deliver that elusive championship after setting records for attendance, but they continue to operate in one-player-short mode. Regardless of the product on the field, Petco Park welcomes any baseball fan. Petco opened in 2004 in the midst of the retro-classic era of ballparks. They basically sold out during a solid but moderately unsuccessful season, so that should tell you what you need to know about the quality of the stadium as a destination. It's very accessible and offers family and baseball fans various opportunities to connect with the game. Foodies and beer lovers will also find hospitable hosts around the ballpark. Light rail and the trolley system are great ways to get to the game, “Park at the park” provides open lawn seating, and the beautiful weather makes this a bucket list must-see for any opposing fan. As stated earlier, the Padres are surprisingly one of the hardest tickets to get in MLB, so be prepared to pay up for this series. From here the Sox get back on the plane and head east to Texas to face the scandalous Houston Astros. Houston Astros - August 11-13 Daikin Park - Capacity 41,168 2024 Attendance: 2,835,234 (Averaged 35,002, second in AL, eighth overall) Boston's trip to Houston in August 2024 featured two teams that were still trying to fight for the playoff picture. While the Astros took the first battle, the Red Sox won the war and the series, two games to one. The Red Sox made two trips to Houston in interleague play before the Astros became American League sparring partners. The Red Sox have gone 22-20 at Minute Maid Park, which was recently renamed Daikin Park, and they look forward to continuing to squeeze out the wins in the Lone Star State. The story of Houston baseball runs through the sporting world’s first fully enclosed and air-conditioned stadium. The Astrodome changed the game and almost all other games around the world. It gave us the first synthetic turf playing surface (the reason we call all the new stuff Astroturf even if it isn’t!), the ability to play ball in any type of weather or geography, and the introduction of year-round civic and sports arenas within a city. Daikin Park carries history, scandal, success, and futility all in one amazingly crafted and retro-fitted setting. The current ballpark was constructed around a former Union Station railway concourse, and it harkens to the culture and community that it served. Oil, agriculture, trains, Bar-B-Q, Mexican food, boom/bust economics, and espionage/waste disposal (couldn’t resist). The retractable roof might come into play in May, with an opportunity for outdoor baseball early and late in the season. This element allows for a natural grass playing surface. Originally named Enron Field in 2000, my kids’ third favorite orange juice stepped up to the plate for naming rights once Enron imploded. Daikin is a Japanese multinational conglomerate and the world's largest manufacturer of air conditioners. The park used to feature the legendary and questionable "Tal’s Hill” in centerfield. The berm and flagpole set the stage for quite a few highlights and lowlights for fielders, and it stretched the dimensions out to 436 feet. The hill left the building after the 2016 season, replaced by a restaurant, standing-room seating, and a lower medical liability deductible. The center field wall also came in to a reasonable 406 feet. Interestingly, berms or mounds in the field of play used to be a way to give a better view to standing room overflow fans ON THE FIELD!!! Can you imagine? Showing up to a game, discovering that it was sold out, but being told to “Worry not! Centerfield has some room for you!” It sounds like an alternate reality. When in Houston, check out the Johnson Space Center and enjoy some beach and fishing time out at the Gulf of Mexico. Or if the weather's too warm and muggy for your liking, just get excited to watch high-quality baseball in a crazy cool stadium, alongside a fanbase that has doubled down on its team. From this road trip, the Red Sox return to Fenway to host Miami and Baltimore in the ides of August. Will Boston wilt in the summer heat? Or will this temperate road trip help keep them cool and collected on their winning ways?

Minnesota Twins - July 28-30 Target Field - Capacity 38,544 2024 Attendance: 1,951,616 (Averaged 24,094, 10th in AL, 23rd overall) When the Red Sox came to Target Field in May 2024, both teams had some hope but the Twins were heavily favored. The Red Sox were held to three total runs over the first two games, both losses. The Sox then erupted for nine runs, mostly against the Twins bullpen, to salvage the finale. Overall, the Red Sox have gone 24-20 at Target Field since 2010. This includes a six-game sweep through 2012 and 2013, and many alternating splits throughout the last decade. Since it opened in 2010, Target Field has brought many exciting events to the downtown Minneapolis neighborhood. From concerts to playoff action, from the 2014 All-Star Game to the NHL Winter Classic to local college football games. Target Field offers the frozen chosen of the Twins Cities an outdoor space to enjoy their favorite sports. This stadium features elements of its home state, from the stonework to the new fishing pier-themed seating section called The Dock. At the ballpark, fans are treated to beautiful scenes of the downtown skyline, a living batter's eye in center, and plenty of concourse space to feast and mingle on a summer evening. The Timberwolves play just a walk across the skyway away down the street, and entertainment is everywhere in the neighborhood. The Mall of America is just a light rail away, with plenty of activities and an amusement park as well. Local museums and the Mississippi River offer intrepid travelers plenty of options to spend an afternoon before an evening game. After this series, the Red Sox finally get an off-day before hosting the Houston Astros on August 1, followed by another three-game series against Kansas City. Hopefully, the Twins remember to be Minnesota nice, so that the Sox can keep on rolling into the end of summer.

Chicago Cubs - July 18-20 Wrigley Field - Capacity 41,649 2024 Attendance: 2,909,755 (Averaged 35,922, fifth in NL, sixth overall) The Red Sox clubbed their way through Wrigley Field in the heat of July 2023, scoring 19 runs in two victories, but dropping the middle game by serving up 10 runs. Boston has only made four road trips to Wrigley since 2005, and they've split the results 50-50 at six wins apiece. Two iconic teams with two iconic venues. This is why the new balanced interleague schedule exists, and Red Sox fans need to find a way to make their way to Chicago for one of these series in the coming years. Wrigley Field opened in 1914. That’s right, 110 years ago! The ivy has scaled the outfield wall since 1937 and modern expansions and lights brought the ballpark closer towards the twenty-first century in 1988. The jewel-box charm remains, and the neighborhood continues to offer one of the most “baseball” experiences in all of baseball. You can smell remnants of Old Style spills from decades past, and experience elbow-to-elbow seating that adds to the ambiance. How can you find fault with a stadium where home runs can literally leave the ballpark, brick walls can be run into, and people on rooftops can pay more for their tickets than people behind home plate? The Cubs themselves have grown from their lovable losers vibe, finally reversing the curse and winning a World Series in 2016. The most recent iterations have flirted with success, but ultimately couldn’t escape the rebuild cycle that follows such a formidable championship run. Hopefully, the Red Sox can keep the Cubs rebuilding for at least one more season with a strong showing in Chicago before they head back east to face the Phillies. Philadelphia Phillies - July 21-23 Citizens Bank Park - Capacity 42,901 2024 Attendance: 3,363,712 (Averaged 41,527, second in NL, third overall) When Boston invaded Philadelphia in May 2023, the Red Sox took the Phillies by surprise and took the first two games of the series as well, with some close victories. Boston dropped the finale thanks to a gem by Taijuan Walker. Because of their Eastern Division connections, the Red Sox have actually been traveling to Philadelphia since 2005 for an almost annual road series. The results have traditionally gone Boston's way, as they are 26-14 in that span. If you can stomach the Philly fans, that makes this trip one of the year's best locks for witnessing a Red Sox victory on the road. I was surprised to discover that the Phillies have lost more games than any other American sports franchise. I only seem to remember the captivating squads of the 90s, and the World Series teams of recent history. However, the giant former home of the Phillies, Veterans Stadium, often saw nothing but epic disappointment. At 67,000, Veterans Stadium had the capacity for greatness, and the vibe of concrete sterility. In 2004, the team began a new chapter with the more intimate and contemporary Citizens Bank Park. The seating at Citizens Bank is described as “sitting over the field,” and the unique wind tunnel alleyways and small left- and right-field corners set the stage for home runs and excitement. Opposing fans can get up close and personal with the visitor’s bullpen in left-center field, or just hang out and listen to the Phillies fans give them grief. Of all of the stadiums that I researched, this one seems to be the least hospitable to away team jerseys and presence in general. Attenders beware! The ballpark also seems to be set up for prime standing room only options, and its main food vendors exist in the open outfield concourse. There’s a kid’s wiffle-ball field in right-field, and a Wall of Fame in left. And of course, keep your head on a swivel unless you want to get accosted by the Phillie Phanatic. Philadelphia itself oozes history and tourist destinations. It's home to American democracy and government, and the origins of the great cheesesteak. You can pretend you are Rocky as you run the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, or just sit there and watch other people exhaust themselves trying. After this road trip the Red Sox return home for the first time in almost two weeks for a quick three game series against the daunting Dodgers. It's a rough way to start the second half of the season, but if you want be the best you have to beat the best. So do you think the Red Sox will return from this road trip looking their best? Or will the middle of July be more of a bust?

Washington Nationals - July 4-6 Nationals Park - Capacity 41,339 2024 Attendance: 1,967,302 (Averaged 24,287, ranked 13th out of NL parks and 22nd overall) Boston last made the short trip to the nation's capital in August of 2023, and they started strong with a 5-4 victory before serving up 16 runs over the final two games for a series loss. The Red Sox have only made four road trips to Nationals Park, and they had won eight of the first nine games before 2023's series loss, to put them at a favorable 10-3 mark since 2009. This appears to be one of the locations that Red Sox fans can look forward to showing up at every two years for great access to the team and a great chance for victory! In 2004, the Montreal Expos’ story ended, and the Washington Nationals’ story began. After Major League Baseball took over the Expos, they brokered the move for baseball to return to Washington, D.C., after the town birthed and lost the Senators…twice. The Twins and Rangers can thank the city for their franchises, but the Nationals haven’t had much to be thankful for since 2019 saw them rise to the pinnacle and bring home the World Series. The days of Bryce Harper, Steven Strasburg, and Juan Soto are long gone. 2024 sees the beginning of the Joey Gallo age! Most towns on the MLB circuit can provide a weekend of sights and sounds, but Washington, D.C., could easily take a week or more of a tourist’s time. May is a beautiful time to visit the city’s national monuments, museums, political landmarks, and coastal sights. After the team languished at RFK Stadium for its first four years, Nationals Park opened in 2008 with much fanfare and little flair. There isn’t a distinguishing component of the stadium, but it serves as a great venue to watch baseball along the Anacostia River. With its walkable open-air outfield concourse and clean lines, Nationals Park focuses its attention on the actual game. With a drop in play and attendance, will the Nationals need to re-think this strategy to attract fans? Or will this stadium continue to be a road team heaven? The Nationals have had a losing record at home since that 2019 run, and opposing fans hope that momentum continues! The Red Sox return home to face the Rockies and Rays before enjoying All-Star Week. How will the Sox be doing at the midpoint of the season? Let's discuss!

Seattle Mariners - June 16-18 T-Mobile Park: Capacity 47,929 2024 Attendance: 2,555,813 (Averaged 31,553, seventh in AL, 14th overall) The Red Sox opened the 2024 season in the Pacific Northwest, and they left Seattle with two wins and two losses after starting and ending the four-game set with victories. This annual, 3,000-mile, coast-to-coast journey has resulted in a combined 50-58 record since T-Mobile Park opened in 1999. Road trips to Seattle have almost always ended with a split series. As the Mariners look to start this West Coast marathon trip off with a bang, history points toward a fizzle being the most likely outcome. T-Mobile Park dials up the fan experience with a retractable roof, beautiful sight lines, and stellar food and beverage options. This isn’t your grandpa’s Kingdome, for sure. Success hasn’t been a part of the Mariners’ story, but their current squad is on the way up. Established in 1977, the Mariners endured losing seasons every year until 1991. They hold the less-than-awesome honor of having never been in a World Series. So the town is hungry for change, even if the ballpark is now entering its 24th season. The park hosts the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest and Mariners Hall of Fame, which pays homage to great moments in professional baseball throughout the region. The ‘Pen is a foodie and pub crawler’s dream, and there is a Fan Walk with engraved bricks memorializing those who root for the squad. If you can stomach heights, the Space Needle is calling your name. The Museum of Pop Culture does seem like a worthy stop, and a person can’t be in this part of America without the temptation of a pilgrimage to the filming sites of the classic filmThe Goonies. The Seattle Japanese Garden also looks amazing and perfect for healing and restoration, especially in the midst of such a grueling road trip. After an off-day on the 19th, the Red Sox head on south to San Francisco to face the Giants. San Francisco Giants – June 20-22 Oracle Park: Capacity 41,265 2024 Attendance: 2,647,736 (Averaged 33,096, seventh in NL, 10th overall) The Red Sox last traveled to San Francisco in 2023, and they lost two of three, with every game being decided by only one run. The history of Red Sox baseball at Oracle Park is limited, but Boston has held serve by winning seven and losing seven since the park opened in 2004. With the road trip occurring every two years now, some familiarity with the dimensions and atmosphere of the ballpark should be developing. San Francisco baseball has a long history, but the most recent iteration dates back to 1957, when the New York Giants joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in heading west for newer and greener financial grasses. The Dodgers and Giants have kept the rivalry ridiculously strong, and both have seen great success in recent decades. In 1989, the Giants were getting ready to host the Athletics at Candlestick Park for Game 3 of the World Series, when the Loma Prieta earthquake struck and tragically shook up the series. Barry Bonds infamously broke records in the 2000s, and championships finally arrived in the 2010s, with three titles in six seasons. Oracle Park opened in 2000, and people have been raving about it ever since. Whether it’s the temperate and pleasant weather, the majestic views of the San Francisco Bay, McCovey Cove and its homer-hunting kayakers, or the food and beverage options, Oracle Park is a must-see destination. Baseball travelers will find the wharf and its many attractions and seafood restaurants to be a fun destination, while the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz never disappoint either. From San Francisco the Red Sox take the shortest trip of the entire week, traveling 408 miles to Anaheim to face the Angels. Los Angeles Angels - June 23-25 Angel Stadium: Capacity 45,517 2024 Attendance: 2,577,597 (Averaged 31,822, sixth in AL, 13th overall) The Red Sox traveled to Angels Stadium in April 2024, and they left town with 20 runs across two victories, bookended around getting shut down by Reid Detmers in a 2-1 battle in the middle game. 2024's offensive outburst in Anaheim stands out even more starkly when you consider that the Red Sox had averaged a measly 2.6 runs in their other 10 games at Angels Stadium since 2020. Overall, the Red Sox have gone 144-150 since 1966 in their excursions to the house that Disney built. To say that Angel Stadium exists because Disney exists isn’t an overstatement. The birth of Disneyland in 1955 led to the pursuit of community development in the Anaheim area. In 1966, that pursuit involved building a baseball stadium, then known as Anaheim Stadium. The 1980s brought a change in architecture as the NFL's Rams filled in the outfield seating area to increase capacity. 1998 brought a return to the open-concept outfield, as the Disney corporation placed its imprint upon the setting and installed the “Outfield Extravaganza” rock pile in left-center field. Mike Trout hits baseballs there for a living. Shohei Ohtani used to embody a modern version of Babe Ruth there daily as well, until he split across town and won a World Series. Attendance remains high in Anaheim despite the loss of Ohtani and the general losing ways of the club. Angel Stadium seats less than Dodger Stadium, but I wonder what might happen if the Angels could get on a roll again. Beautiful June weather, summer on the beach, and sun for miles highlight this trip. Having a car is the name of the game when traveling to Angel Stadium. There is a bus option from downtown LA, but that doesn’t scream “relaxing road trip” to me. Also, with Disneyland right around the corner, there is no shortage of affordable hotel options in Anaheim. At only 2.5 miles southeast of Disneyland, a person has to go, right? This trip includes 7,233 miles and how many wins? Boston returns home to face Toronto and Cincinnati after an off-day on the June 26, so hopefully they have great memories and some victories to welcome them back. Anyone going to these West Coast games?