Not years, not even decades, but it has been almost a century since the iconic rivalries between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox started. Leave the baseball world, the Yankees v/s Red Sox rivalry is probably the oldest rivalry in the entire sporting world. Laden with a rich history of competition, conflict, and many championships, there is an unmistakable charm in this rivalry.

This legendary on-field conflict is built on a difference in ideas and a competition for glory. At the heart of the feud, there is a passionate fanbase cheering for their team to win. For many years this bitter and intense MLB rivalry is what kept fans watching baseball. Since the Bronx Bombers and BoSox are currently clashing in an ongoing series, let’s take a look at the rich history of their iconic matchups and some unknown facts over the years.

When did the rivalry between the Red Sox and the Yankees start?

There are differing opinions on when the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry truly began. But the two teams first faced off on April 26th, 1901, during the inaugural year of the American League. The Yankees were then known as the Orioles and played in Baltimore, and the Red Sox were known as the Boston Americans. In 1903, the Yankees moved to New York and were called the New York Highlanders.

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The Boston-New York version of the rivalry began on May 7th, 1903 when the Americans faced the Highlanders. But some say that rivalry didn’t truly begin until 1938 when both teams were actually competitive. The Yanks were the defending champions and the Red Sox were winning games in the league as well.

The Red Sox tasted early success

The Boston Red Sox enjoyed a lot of success in the early years of MLB and the World Series. They won the inaugural Fall Classic in 1903 as the Americans. They then changed their name to the Red Sox in 1908 and won 4 World Series titles between 1912 and 1918. But this is where the team’s fortunes would change with an ill-fated move. 

The Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees

The Red Sox agreed on a deal to sell two-way icon Babe Ruth to the Yankees on 26th December 1919. Then Red Sox owner Harry Frazee needed the money and was unwilling to pay Ruth the salary he wanted. In response to that, the Yankees offered him $100,000, a deal he could not refuse.

The Babe Ruth Yankees deal is considered one of the worst deals in MLB history. This is because of the adverse impact it had on the Red Sox and the legendary curse that afflicted them.

The Red Sox suffer the Curse of the Bambino

After selling Babe Ruth, the BoSox suffered an 86-year title drought between 1986 and 2003, not winning a single World Series. This drought is aptly called “The Curse of the Bambino”, named after Ruth, who was nicknamed the Bambino. During the 86-year period, the Red Sox made 4 World Series appearances. They lost every one of them before finally breaking the curse miraculously in 2004. But the Yankees on the other hand thrived during that period, winning 4 World Series titles during Ruth’s tenure with the team. 

The Yankees vs Red Sox head-to-head record 

In an iconic rivalry, the Yankees vs Red Sox feud has seen 2,320 games going up to the 2023 MLB season. The Yankees beat the Red Sox 1,257-1,049-14 overall. In regular season games, the Bronx Bombers once again best the BoSox, 1,242-1,037-14. But in the postseason, the teams are tied 12-12 in 5 different matchups. 

Rebirth of their Rivalry – Red Sox’s iconic Comeback in 2004

2004 was a massive year for the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry. Both teams had great regular season records and made the postseason. But the rivalry reignited during a regular season game in July of that year. On July 24th, the Yankees took a 3-0 lead by the thor inning. The then-Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez came to bat against BoSox pitcher Bronson Arroyo. The righty hurler threw an inside pitch on a 1-1 count and hit A-Rod on the elbow. The Yankees’ star was unhappy and made that clear to Arroyo.

Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek told Rodriguez to take his base. A-Rod turned around and the two exchanged words before Varitek swung at the Bombers’ star infielder. This sparked a brawl as both benches cleared. This incident ignited the fire as both teams sped to the playoffs. The Yankees and Red Sox won their respective Division Series and set up a massive ALCS clash. The Bombers won the first 3 games of the series comfortably, with many thinking the series was over. But the Red Sox narrowly won Games 4 and 5 of the series in 12 and 14 innings respectively, before taking Game 6 as well. 

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The BoSox then did the unthinkable, winning Game 7 of the ALCS and reaching the World Series for the first time since 1986. They became the first and still only team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the postseason. This was capped off with a 4-0 sweep over the St. Louis Cardinals to break “The Curse of the Bambino” by winning the 2004 World Series.

When Benches cleared in 2018

The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry has had some intense moments with a lot of epic games. But in 2018, a regular season contest turned into a brawl. It was an April matchup and in the third inning, Yankees DH Tyler Austin was on first base. Bombers infielder Tyler Wade made a sacrifice bunt allowing Austin to reach second base. But the Yankees DH slid into Red Sox shortstop Brock Holt. This led to a war of words between the two and a small scuffle as benches cleared. 

In the 7th inning, all hell broke loose as Austin was hit by a 97.7mph fastball hurled by BoSox pitcher Joe Kelly. The DH threw his bat and helmet on the ground before charging at Kelly. The Red Sox pitcher even egged him on. The benches and bullpen cleared in a brawl that saw punches land and three ejections in the aftermath. It was a truly intense affair. 

Rivalry outside Baseball

This top MLB rivalry has seen some iconic moments off the field as well. Before a 2018 game against the Red Sox, current Yankees captain Aaron Judge played Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” outside the BoSox’s clubhouse at Fenway Park. This was a top move by the Yankees’ star as he trolled his opposition. 

In December of 2022, former Red Sox player Brock Holt reiterated his hatred in an Instagram DM to Talkin’ Yanks. He said “Sorry accidentally followed you so I had to quickly abort. I hate the Yankees, but I love Jose Trevino. And I love y’all.” These are two examples of the rivalry coming off the field in interesting moments. 

Is Yankees vs Red Sox the greatest rivalry in MLB history?

If asked, both Yankees and Red Sox fans would call this the greatest rivalry in MLB history without hesitation. But it is hard to say it conclusively, with so many iconic rivalries across the League. The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry has seen some iconic moments and some true legends of the game. Furthermore, it contains more than centuries’ worth of memories, emotions, and intense competition. 

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What do you think of the rivalry between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!