For over a century, the Boston Red Sox and their fans lived under a shadow. It was cast in 1919 by the infamous sale of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. That one deal sparked an era of the Yankees dynasty and a Boston misery known as the “Curse of the Bambino.” The rivalry simmered, but the balance remained tipped. Now, a century later, an unlikely hero traded from the Yankees to the Red Sox has given Boston a taste of long-awaited payback.

The setting for this more recent reversal was a three-game series at Fenway Park, June 13-15, 2025. Boston not only won; they swept their bitter rivals in dramatic fashion. The series had everything: a walk-off win, dominant pitching, and defensive gems. Lurking at the center of just about everything was a rookie catcher named Carlos Narváez. He literally haunted his former team with clutch hits and game-changing plays in the field, leaving the Yankees stunned and the Red Sox victorious.

The feeling of a historical turning of the tables was palpable. According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, “It may be a century later, but the Boston Red Sox at least are getting a little payback from selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees.” Nightengale noted that the Yankees traded minor-league catcher Narváez to Boston over the winter. Many saw the nine-year Yankees farm system veteran as a “long shot to even make the opening-day roster” for New York.

Today, he is Boston’s everyday catcher, and his performance has been nothing short of spectacular. Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, who has witnessed the rookie’s impact firsthand, perfectly captured the sentiment. “He’s been a revelation,” Crochet told reporters. “You talk to him and you forget that he’s still classified as a rookie. It’s really special, he really calls games like he’s been doing it for 10 years in the show, and his at-bats at the plate late in crunch time, he just never gives in.”

The trade itself, completed on December 11, 2024, now looks like a stroke of genius for Boston. They got Narváez in exchange for pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz. While Rodriguez-Cruz is having a solid season in High-A with a 2.70 ERA, Narváez is hitting .286 with six homers for Boston. It was the reverse of the Ruth trade: The Red Sox acquired an immediate, impactful star from their rivals for a player with future potential.

This modern payback wasn’t just a front-office win; it was earned between the lines.

Carlos Narváez’s defensive masterclass

Narváez’s defensive prowess was a masterclass in game control. In the 10th inning on June 13, as the Yankees threatened, he picked off Anthony Volpe at third base. Boston showed pure baseball IQ in a high-leverage moment. They challenged the call and overturned it to save a clear potential go-ahead run. His awareness and swift throw turned the whole extra frame. This led to his own heroics a few moments later, as Narváez delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th.

The next night, he proved it was no fluke. As the Yankees rallied in the seventh inning on June 14, he caught Jasson Domínguez leaning off second base for another key out. “No excuses, I made a mistake,” a frustrated Domínguez was forced to admit after the game. In that very game, Narváez contributed an RBI single in the first inning. There, he complemented his regular displays of offense and defense.

Earlier in the season, on May 20, he had thrown out Mets superstar Francisco Lindor trying to steal second. This ability to neutralize the game’s best players shows that his defensive prowess is an elite weapon. Once buried deep in the Yankees’ system, he has helped transform himself into a real field general for the team’s foremost rival.

Narváez may have been the series MVP, but he had a lot of help. Crochet was brilliant in the opener, dueling with Aaron Judge before the Yankees captain tied it late. “I’m going to live and die with my best pitch,” Crochet said of the moment. Brayan Bello was masterful in the finale, tossing seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 shutout. Now, in this series, the first-place Yankees must look over their shoulder at a surging Red Sox team. This sweep wasn’t just three wins; it was a statement.