Any time there is a Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees conversation, the energy and excitement are always over the roof. For a while now, Boston hasn’t looked like a team that could make it deep into the postseason. But this time, the situation is different. They have the key pieces, and they are surging at the right time. And sure, New York is holding onto the Wild Card spot, but they have wobbled way too many times. And what’s saying they won’t again after this recent surge? They already had a bad series end with the Tigers.

The back-to-back blowout losses to Detroit were not just ugly; they made unwanted history. ESPN mentioned that this was the third time in the franchise’s history that New York dropped two straight games by more than 10 runs. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are giving fans plenty of reasons to believe. Even after a tough walk-off loss to the Athletics on Wednesday, their second-half push has kept them in the playoff picture.

In NESN, Julian McWilliams had a special message for Alex Cora and the Red Sox and even the Yanks, “I just think the Red Sox and Yankees have been playing consistent enough baseball this year in this pillow fight to get away with making the playoffs. And as we’ve seen in years past, you just have to get in. Then it’s about being hot. It’s no longer necessarily the best team winning a best-of-seven. It just seems to be the hot team that gets in and makes a run.” 

That view hits hard when you evaluate where both clubs stand right now. Certainly, the New York Yankees have a larger payroll and numerous huge stars. But Boston looks dangerous at the moment. And that’s the thing; momentum is a tricky thing in October. And if Boston is the team building that fires while the Yankees struggle, then the balance of power could shift fast. But not all is doom and gloom for the Yankees.

Plus, Alex Bregman, Boston’s $120 million man, sent a tough message: “It’s so cool playing against those guys. Just fun games, pressure-packed, great environment. It was a lot of fun living out that childhood dream, watching those games on TV and watching them play in October.” A dig that he is not scared to face the Yanks- whoever said that the rivalry is dead!

As far as the Yankees’ poor outing with the Tigers, not everyone thinks that loss is anything major. At the Locked on Yankees podcast, for example, the host said, “I do think this is one of those losses where you crumble up the loose leaf, toss it in the bin, and move on to tomorrow, right? It’s a bad game that got away from them. It was winnable at a point, then it got away. They had a terrible inning. It happens.” And the Yankees have more news to be excited about!

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole shares encouraging rehab update

The New York Yankees’ starting rotation has been their biggest strength this season. It’s shocking, given they were missing an important piece, having lost Clarke Schmidt early. They even spent months without Luis Gil, but even then, the arms in pinstripes have held strong. They rank near the top of the league in both strikeouts and fewest hits allowed. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon have done the heavy lifting. But then there is a question that’s always behind the Yankee fans’ heads—just how good would the rotation be if Gerrit Cole had been healthy all season?

Cole was sidelined before the season even began—and he underwent Tommy John surgery in spring training. And no doubt losing their ace was a brutal thing for the Yankees, but they managed to keep on fighting without him. Still, one cannot forget Cole, and hence everything the Yankees are doing now is paired with the thought of what’s to come when he returns. Cole’s comeback, though, took a positive step forward this week. YES, MLB Network’s Jack Curry did update that Cole threw 45 pitches from 75 feet out as part of the rehab program. It may not sound like much, but for someone who has been through a major surgery, every small step counts. And when Cole was asked about his health update, he said, “Feels great.”

That’s two short words, but enough to bring a smile to the Yankee fans’ world. Next year, Gerrit Cole will enter the seventh season of his nine-year, $324 million contract. And his resume is eye-watering; since joining the Yankees, he has received Cy Young votes every season. He finally took home the award last year. If he comes back at full strength, then a rotation headlined by Cole, Fried, and Rodon could be one of the most dominant in baseball. 2026 for sure looks enticing for the Yankees.