With the playoffs around the corner, the Boston Red Sox are third in the American League (AL) East and are in the hunt for one of the AL’s Wild Cards. Led by head coach Alex Cora, the team has made major strides in their standings this season. With ace pitcher Gerret Crochet and center fielder Jarren Duran, the Red Sox are ready for the playoffs.
A constant attraction during the Red Sox season is always the Yankees and Red Sox games. The Boston Red Sox versus The New York Yankees rivalry has lasted through most of Major League Baseball’s existence, starting in the early 1900s. The rivalry was strengthened especially in Game 4 of the 2004 AL Championship Series when the teams went into extra innings, and the Red Sox became the first major league team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
Any kid that grows up in Boston knows that Red Sox games against the Yankees are not to be taken lightly. The series creates intense entertainment for anyone watching, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Dairon Mercedes (II), a B baseball player and Red Sox fan, comments, “I love hearing when there is a Red Sox and Yankees game; I am always tuned in and excited to watch [them]. The rivalry makes the games extra special.” Since rivalries bring fans together against a common enemy, the games against the Yankees are the most enjoyable to watch, whether from a TV or behind home plate at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox have a successful history, winning four World Series just in this century, and the team and fans alike are hoping for more wins in the future.
Clara Ryan (I), an avid Red Sox fan, says, “With amazing rookies [Anthony, Mayer and Campbell] and new additions [Crochet, Chapman and Bregman], the team is looking solid.” Ryan acknowledges that the Red Sox have had some losses but thinks, “We have a good shot at making it far in the playoffs, so long as our starting pitchers stay strong.”
This year, the Red Sox have swept the Yankees in two series so far.
Rivalries turn ordinary games into battles that are talked about for years. They heighten the drama of the season and add meaning to every win and loss. Baseball watcher Winnie Chen (II) comments, “The games are always exciting and each team is very competitive.” For the Red Sox and Yankees, the rivalry isn’t just history — it is fuel for the present. As this season builds towards the playoffs, fans on both sides are buzzing with excitement for what’s to come.
Some rivalries, unfortunately, are one-sided, especially when one team is seen as the underdog. In this case, however, the Red Sox and Yankees are in the wild card spots to advance into the playoffs with a possibility to play each other. Now, since the rivalry is exacerbated by their current competition, fans from both teams are excited to watch them battle it out.
What makes sports games so enjoyable is when they are intense, and rivalries only add to this enjoyment. Seeing a Yankees hat in Fenway Park can get fans riled up, but the support for the Red Sox isn’t left on the field. Ryan comments, “My favorite T-shirt says, ‘I support two teams; Boston and whoever beats New York,’ and I stand by that.” Wherever Bostonians may find themselves, they are sure to loudly support the Red Sox and just as loudly trash the Yankees, bringing together a community and celebrating a team.