The Red Sox defeated the Dodgers in five games to win their fourth World Series title in 15 years dating back to 2004, and their ninth in franchise history.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, who last won a World Series in 1988 over the Oakland Athletics, made their second consecutive appearance, after losing to the Houston Astros in 2017.

"[10] The Red Sox finished with a 108–54 (.667) record, winning the American League East division title for the third consecutive season, eight games ahead of the second-place New York Yankees,[11] and were the first team to clinch a berth in the 2018 postseason.

Sale tossed only 158 innings due to a shoulder injury late in the year, but was otherwise superb, posting a 2.11 earned run average to go along with 237 strikeouts.

The Red Sox entered the postseason as the top seed in the American League, and defeated the Yankees in four games in the Division Series.

Despite a 16–26 (.381) start to the season and nine losses in an 11-game stretch in mid-August, the Dodgers made the playoffs for the sixth straight year by winning the division in a one-game tiebreaker over the Rockies.

Boston benefited from Dodgers' first baseman David Freese missing a foul pop-up by Betts, and right fielder Yasiel Puig allowing Benintendi to advance to second base on a late throw to the plate.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, and scored the go-ahead run when Xander Bogaerts grounded into a fielder's choice.

Eduardo Núñez hit a pinch-hit three-run home run off Alex Wood in the bottom of the seventh to make it a four-run lead for the Red Sox, 8–4, with no further scoring in the game.

The Dodgers loaded the bases in the fourth inning and David Freese scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Kemp to tie the game; Yasiel Puig then singled to drive in Manny Machado with the go-ahead run.

After the Red Sox loaded the bases against Ryu in the bottom of the fifth, reliever Ryan Madson walked in the tying run and J. D. Martinez drove in two more with a single.

In the 13th inning, Brock Holt walked, advanced on a wild pitch, scored the go-ahead run on an infield single by Eduardo Núñez and a throwing error by pitcher Scott Alexander.

Then, in the bottom of the inning, Max Muncy walked against Nathan Eovaldi, advanced to second on a pop out to Núñez in foul territory (Nuñez made a great catch and tumbled into the stands after making the catch, which allowed Muncy to advance) scoring the tying run after an infield hit by Yasiel Puig and a throwing error by Ian Kinsler.

[50] Muncy tied the record for latest (18th inning) walk-off hit in postseason history, equalling Chris Burke in Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Series.

In a fit of rage, Rodríguez slammed his glove down on the mound in frustration and was later pulled after pitching 52⁄3 innings, allowing the four runs on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

[57] In the top of the seventh, after striking out Eduardo Núñez with a runner on first, Hill was taken off the mound in favor of reliever Ryan Madson, a decision by Roberts which was criticized by several including then-current President Donald Trump.

[59] Jansen became just the second pitcher in World Series history to allow game-tying home runs in back-to-back games (Byung-hyun Kim for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 was the other).

In the top of the ninth, Brock Holt doubled off Dylan Floro and was driven in by a single by pinch hitter Rafael Devers to give Boston their first lead of the game.

[60] On October 28, Los Angeles became the first city to host an MLB, NFL (Rams), NBA (Clippers), NHL (Kings), and MLS (Galaxy) game all on the same day.

The Red Sox scored in the top of the inning after a one out single by Andrew Benintendi followed by a two-run home run by Steve Pearce.

[127] Fox Deportes offered a Spanish-language feed, with Rolando Nichols providing play-by-play and Carlos Álvarez and Edgar Gonzalez doing color commentary.

The Red Sox broadcast was on WEEI 93.7 FM in English with Joe Castiglione, Tim Neverett and Lou Merloni, and in Spanish on WCCM 1490 AM with Uri Berenguer.

This sponsorship included logo branding in-stadium and on official digital properties, on the field, as well as commercial inventory during Fox's telecasts of the games.

[2] On the morning of October 31, the Red Sox celebration parade began at Fenway Park and made its way downtown to its final destination on Staniford Street.

[152][153] Four months after the 2018 World Series, the Patriots won Super Bowl LIII, meaning the Greater Boston area celebrated multiple championships for the 2018 MLB and NFL seasons.

On the field, Boston's top three starters in 2018 — Chris Sale, David Price, and Nathan Eovaldi — all missed significant time due to injury in 2019.

He was the first lead executive to make World Series appearances with four different teams, having done so with the Florida Marlins in 1997, Detroit Tigers in 2006 and 2012, and the Boston Red Sox in 2018.

In addition to Mookie Betts and Joe Kelly (Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020), Christian Vázquez (Houston Astros in 2022) and Nathan Eovaldi (Texas Rangers in 2023) also won a second World Series ring with different teams.

Corey Seager returned to the Dodgers after being out for most of the 2018 season due to an elbow injury, while Manny Machado, who replaced him after the All-Star break, signed a record free agent contract with the San Diego Padres.

[164] The 2019 Dodgers broke the franchise record for wins at 106, but would experience October heartbreak once again by losing to eventual World Champion Washington Nationals in the NLDS in five games.