The Classic That Makes Us Believe in the Drama of Baseball (Again)
Okay, let’s talk clearly. In a world of baseball teams that come and go, the rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox is like that series they cancel and revive every two years: you know it’s pure fan service, but you can’t help but get hooked. Has it lost any of its original intensity? Maybe. But the mere idea of a New York–Boston clash to open the playoffs is like the last chapter of your favorite season; It generates that immediate click, that “here we go again” that mixes nostalgia with pure sports drama. And believe us, this is not a filler chapter.
Starting Tuesday, the home of the Yankees, the iconic Yankee Stadiummatchup of left-handed pitchers that promises: Max Fried (with a record of 19-5) wearing the colors of the Yankees against Garrett Crochet (18-5) defending the colors of the Red Sox. If this isn’t material for a “baseball nut multiverse” meme, we don’t know what is.
Bronx vs Boston: The pending score that everyone is waiting for
In the Bronx people don’t just want to win; wants to settle historical accounts. The Yankees have not beaten the Red Sox in a postseason series since way back in 2003. Yes, when Aaron Boone—the same one who leads the team today—hit a home run in extra innings to leave Boston on the ground in the seventh and decisive game of the American League championship series. It was such an epic moment that even your uncle who doesn’t watch baseball remembers it.
But, as in any good saga, the Red Sox got their revenge. The following year, in 2004, they staged one of the most legendary comebacks in sports history, coming from behind after losing the first three games of the championship series. And if that were not enough, they added victories in a division series in 2018 and in the 2021 wild card game. In other words, those from Boston have the manual on how to screw up New York quite updated.
The manager of the Red Sox, Alex Cora, summed it up with the elegance of someone who throws the stone and hides his hand: “It’s New York against Boston. It will be something tremendous.” And with a 17-8 postseason record, the guy knows what he’s talking about. During the regular season, his team dominated the Yankees 9-4 in the particular series, including a resounding 5-2 in the Bronx itself. It’s not just rivalry, it’s recent dominance.
Carlos Narváez, the Venezuelan catcher for the Red Sox, said it without filters: “Yankees-Boston is an incredible series at any time of the year and now even more so.” Translation: prepare for chaos, because this is going to be a trending topic on all social networks.
The Protagonists on the Mound: New Faces, Old Ghosts
Let’s focus on the launchers, because here the plot also has its crumb. Garrett Crochet has been a nightmare for the New York lineup, going 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA, accumulating 30 strikeouts and just four walks in 27.1 innings. In other words, the man comes to close the show.
Aaron Boone, the manager of the Yankees, acknowledges this with the diplomacy of someone who knows he can explode at any moment: “One of the best in the game, obviously, and he just had a phenomenal season. We’ve seen him a few times. He’s been successful against us. We’ve also punished him a little bit, and hopefully that familiarity will serve us well on Tuesday.” In other words, “we know it’s good, but we also know we’ve had hits on it, so hopefully muscle memory will help us.”
The curious thing is that both Crochet (who arrived through a trade) and Max Fried (who signed as a free agent) joined these teams during the winter break. Crochet comes with postseason experience as a reliever for the Chicago White Sox in 2020 and 2021, and after his trade to Boston in December, he signed a six-year, $170 million contract that starts next year. Regarding the challenge, he commented: “I always wanted to be the guy who could pitch the first game of a playoff series, so being here now doesn’t surprise me.” Main character attitude, we like it.
On the other hand, Fried said goodbye to Atlanta and joined the Yankees with an eight-year, $218 million contract. They faced Boston three times this season, with a 1-1 record and an ERA of 1.96. Basically, when he has thrown against them, he has been almost impenetrable.
The Stadium Factor and Collective Madness
All three games will be at night, and Yankee Stadium promises to be heated to the rafters. Aaron Judge, who just had a colossal season leading the league with a .331 batting average, hitting 53 home runs and driving in 114 runs, knows this well: “We have a loud crowd there, a loud group that has cheered us on all year. Even in our tough times in the summer, they were still rooting for us, so they definitely will be there.” excited for a Yankees-Red Sox showdown in the postseason.” In other words, the fans come with all the energy, ready to be the twelfth man on the field.
The winner of this pitched battle will advance to a division series that begins in Toronto next weekend. Expectations are through the roof.
From Bad Beginnings to Great Endings
The trajectory of both teams this season has been a roller coaster of emotions. Boston had a record of 30-35 at the end of May, a start that made more than one person raise their hands. But then they righted the ship with a six-game winning streak that included a three-game sweep in the Bronx. They finished with a 59-38 record after that dismal start, demonstrating enviable resilience.
For their part, the Yankees started the season 35-20, then collapsed with a streak of 25-34 (a moment that everyone called “the summer crisis”), to finally close with an impressive 34-14. Boone analyzed this evolution: “We just started to come together and realize our potential as a group. I think the bullpen stabilized a little bit. We closed well, which helped us stay sharp and really focused.” Basically, they went from being a disaster to being a well-oiled machine.
As for the lineups for the next games, Carlos Rodón (18-9) will start the second game for the Yankees and rookie Cam Schlittler (4-3) would be in charge of a possible third game. Boston will have Dominican Brayan Bello (11-9) in the second game and will have to choose between left-handers Connelly Early and Kyle Harrison after ruling out right-hander Lucas Giolito due to an elbow injury. More drama, because who doesn’t like a little uncertainty with pitchers?
And we couldn’t miss the recognition from Alex Cora to Aaron Judge, who was so sincere that it almost hurt: “Everyone thought he wasn’t going to be able to do it because he didn’t have (Juan) Soto in the lineup, and he was the best hitter in the league. He hit like .330 or whatever when the others are hitting .240. That’s special. And then he hits the ball out of the park and it’s a “Good baserunner, obviously a little bruised defensively, but he’s really good out there. Just impressive.” In other words, the man is a living legend, with or without star companions.
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