Jul 27, 2025; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Fame inductee CC Sabathia makes his acceptance speech during the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Clark Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

CC Sabathia Gives Lame Take on Red Sox's Bunt Against Gerrit Cole

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Mar 20, 2026 6:00 PM ET

Who would have thought Gerrit Cole's first pitch back in a spring training exhibition could be the source of some New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry controversy?

Red Sox leadoff man Braiden Ward dropped down a bunt against Cole to begin Thursday afternoon's game, and the ever-competitive Cole made a sliding attempt to corral the ball and record the game's first out. The ever-speedy Ward, who has 18 stolen bases this spring, legged it out for a single.

Was Ward's bunt simply the act of a 27-year-old speedster doing everything he can to leave a lasting impression before he inevitably gets shipped to Triple-A to begin the season? Not so, according to Yankees great CC Sabathia.

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Sabathia thinks Ward's bunt was a plot

WFAN host Tiki Barber revealed Thursday that he texted Sabathia about Ward's bunt, as Sabathia was known to have some disdain for those that bunted against him during his playing days. Sabathia's response hinted at a far-fetched dugout conspiracy that went beyond Ward (who has bunted against anyone and everyone this spring, which we doubt Sabathia has noted).

"CC's response: 'Kind of trash. They definitely talked about it before the game,'" Barber said. "I said, 'You mean Cora?' He said, 'No, not Cora, but definitely a teammate.'"

CC Sabathia texted Tiki his thoughts on the Red Sox bunting on Gerrit Cole's first pitch, and it won't surprise you pic.twitter.com/HkYg4X9bvs
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) March 19, 2026

Sabathia got mad about an Eduardo Nuñez bunt during a Red Sox-Yankees game in August of 2017 when he was nursing a bad knee. He called it "weak" at the time, but it's a lot weaker to insinuate any malpractice from a guy like Braiden Ward in the middle of the spring.

The idea that Ward would be used as some sort of prop in a Red Sox proxy war against Cole on March 19 is a lot juicier, and a lot less realistic, than the likely reality. This is a player who has never made it to the majors, and whose .489 on-base percentage this spring has opened some eyes around the organization. Bunting has been a key to his success throughout the spring.

And for the record, Cole seemed a lot less peeved by the bunt than Sabathia.

“It surprised me, but it was a good challenge,” said Cole, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. “I ended up getting my work in, so it was all good.”

Case closed. Sabathia is a Hall of Famer, but he should put down the rose-tinted glasses when it comes to bunt strategy.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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