World Series ratings plummet
Red Sox-Dodgers matchup was the fourth-least watched
NEW YORK — Boston’s five-game World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers averaged 14,125,000 viewers on Fox, down 25 percent from last year and the fourth-lowest ever.
The Series featuring a pair of large-market teams averaged an 8.3 rating and 17 share, Nielsen said Tuesday. That was down from a 10.7 rating, 20 share and 18,909,000 average viewers for the Houston Astros’ seven-game win over the Dodgers last year and 40 percent from 23,386,000 average viewers for the Cubs’ sevengame win over Cleveland two years ago.
The only Series with fewer average viewers were Philadelphia’s five-game win over Tampa Bay in 2008 (13,062,000), San Francisco’s four-game sweep of Detroit in 2012 (12.7 million) and the Giants’ seven-game win over Kansas City in 2014 (13,825,000).
Boston’s 5-1 win in Game 5 on Sunday was the mostwatched of the Series, averaging 17,634,000 viewers. The opener averaged 18,314,000, followed by 13,507,000 in Game 2, 13,250,000 in Game 3 and 13,563,000 in Game 4.
RED SOX: Boston exercised its $15 million option for next season on ace lefthander Chris Sale.
Sale will earn $15 million in the final season of a fiveyear contract he signed with the Chicago White Sox before the 2013 season that guaranteed $32.5 million, including a 2017 option buyout. He had a $12.5 million salary this season in the first of two option years and will wind up earning $59 million over seven seasons plus award bonuses. MARINERS: Edgar Martinez is stepping down as the hitting coach for Seattle and moving into a new role as a hitting adviser for the entire organization. INDIANS: Cleveland picked up its $9.75 million contract option for next season on pitcher Carlos Carrasco, who has developed into one of the AL’s most consistent and dominating pitchers over the past few years.
The team declined its $3 million option for 2019 on outfielder Brandon Guyer. BREWERS: Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Mike Moustakas is becoming a free agent again, and so is reliever Joakim Soria.
Moustakas declined a $15 million mutual option on Tuesday.
He rejected a $17.4 million qualifying offer and left Kansas City after the 2017 season but was unable to find a long-term deal he liked. He returned to the Royals in mid-March for a one-year contract that included a guaranteed $6.5 million: a $5.5 million salary and $1 million option buyout.
Soria declined a $10 million mutual option and gets a $1 million buyout.
ROCKIES: Colorado declined its $12.5 million option on outfielder Gerardo Parra and will pay a $1.5 million buyout.
The 31-year-old, who became a free agent, hit .284 with six homers and 53 RBIs in his third season with the Rockies. MARLINS: The agent for catcher J.T. Realmuto says his client has informed Miami he won’t sign a longterm contract, increasing the likelihood the team will trade yet another All-Star.
The Marlins have said they’d like a lengthy deal with Realmuto, who is eligible for free agency after the 2020 season. The team is coming off a ninth consecutive losing season and is in a rebuilding phase that will probably continue for several years.