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Red Sox Rookie Stokes Yankees Rivalry Fire in the Bronx

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Jun 8, 2025 2:50 PM ET

For Yankees fans, the Red Sox rivalry is like that one song you both love and love to hate. It's the highlight of the season and the worst part too. Hunter Dobbins, a 25-year-old Red Sox rookie right-hander, understands that.

And he can't wait to stir the pot and jump into the boiling pot. Scheduled to start for Boston on Sunday night, Dobbins circled this moment on his calendar for a while.

For him, this rivalry runs deep. He grew up the son of a diehard Red Sox fan and was raised on stories of Boston glory and Bronx heartbreak.

Dobbins told the Boston Herald, “If the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire.” Oof.

That’s basically throwing chum in the water for Yankees fans. The challenge was made, the Yankees fans showed how relentless they can be last month when Juan Soto returned to the Bronx.

As a kid, Dobbins played second base and idolized Dustin Pedroia. But unlike his dad, he wasn’t ready to pledge full allegiance to Boston just yet. He was open to other teams, but not the Yankees. For them, there’s no middle ground.

So Sunday night, when Dobbins toes the rubber against the Yankees for the first time, the stakes will be more than just a ballgame. It’s a chapter in the saga that makes this rivalry the greatest in sports. And for Yankees fans, watching a rookie like Dobbins face the pinstripes is like seeing the next generation ready to take a shot at the crown.

The Bleacher Creatures will be waiting, Hunter. Best of luck.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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