The Eternal Fued. The Yankees and the Red Sox have been going at each other’s throats for generations, and although the fire might have cooled down in recent years, it is still there. And that is the exact fire that has led to the Boston fans turning on their own legend. The legend who helped break the “Bambino’s curse.”

In a recent video on Instagram, Manny Ramirez was seen wearing a Yankees cap, and it didn’t sit well with fans. “Manny in a Yankees hat is just gross to me. Get that garbage off your head, legend,” wrote one fan.

And the reason for such animosity. Well, let’s just say this isn’t something recent.

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees rivalry has cooled down in recent years and is nothing like the postseason battles of earlier years. But every season, Fenway Park gets louder whenever the Yankees arrive wearing pinstripes.

This iconic rivalry produced some unforgettable moments, including the Red Sox overcoming the Yankees after trailing 0-3 during the 2004 ALCS. And the Boston fans are hating on Roger Clemens after he moved to the Yankees from Boston. We all know how much fans hate it when one of their own pledges his support to a former team.

To Boston fans, Ramirez will always be the 2004 World Series MVP. He is the guy who hit .412 against St. Louis and crushed 274 home runs during his eight seasons in Boston. Because of those memories, many Boston supporters were emotional after noticing a Yankees cap on their hero’s head.

But his tie to New York actually runs deeper than his Red Sox history. Ramirez grew up in Washington Heights, just a few miles from Yankee Stadium. He recently admitted he has always loved the Bronx Bombers.

“I’m always a Yankees fan,” Ramirez said in a 2025 interview. “I went to school in New York. That was one of my dreams—to play with the Yankees. It couldn’t happen. But I got two World Series [rings].”

This is not the first time Ramirez has worn a Yankees cap in public. A few years ago, at a Rangers-Royals game, Manny Ramirez didn’t want anyone to find him out, so he arrived wearing a maroon Gucci Yankees cap, which reportedly cost $530. Fans immediately noticed the luxury cap because the player never appeared in public wearing rival merch. The sunglasses, trimmed hairstyle, and expensive Yankees cap quickly became a massive talking point.

Seeing a Boston icon embrace New York always hurts. Red Sox fans felt this same anger when stars like Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Johnny Damon, and Jacoby Ellsbury left town to wear pinstripes.

But right now, the anger over Manny’s cap is worse because the current Red Sox team is playing so poorly.

Red Sox fans go off on Manny Ramirez after being seen in a Yankees cap

Boston Red Sox fans are now not only angry at their team for not playing well, but also at their legend, Manny Ramirez, for not sticking with Boston.

“He wore that hat long before he played for your dump of a city,” one fan commented, defending Ramirez.

This fan defends him because Ramirez has been connected to New York long before he became a Red Sox legend. Ramirez moved into Washington Heights during childhood and started playing baseball at George Washington High School.

“Why tf is he wearing a Yankees hat?” one fan expressed his anger. “What the f–k is this shit, Manny?” wrote another.

It was difficult for some of the Red Sox fans to comprehend why one of their legends would wear the cap of their biggest rivals.

“This one definitely stings!” one Red Sox fan admitted after Ramirez was seen wearing Yankees merchandise. And this stings because of the deep roots Manny Ramirez has in Red Sox history. Back in 2004, when the Red Sox won the World Series, he was the MVP and led the offense for Boston. But what really made him a legend was back in 2003, when he went after Roger Clemens after Clemens aggressively pitched inside multiple times.

“Maybe a subtle shot at how shitty and pathetic the Red Sox have become,” one fan commented, pointing fingers at bad management.

Ramirez, wearing the cap, is clearly a personal choice tied to his hometown roots. Still, it feels like a betrayal to fans suffering through a terrible year. Boston opened 2026 with a brutal 2-7 record before “sell the team” chants started to echo in the stands of Fenway Park. And the worst thing is the fact that since winning the 2018 World Series, they have only played in the postseason twice. The front office hasn’t done any better at letting go of stars like Mookie Betts, Alex Bregman, and Rafael Devers.

Manny Ramirez, wearing Yankees merchandise, is now showing how frustrated the Red Sox fans are with the team. Unless the team starts doing well, fans will target any players, former or current, doing anything a little off.