Boston Red Sox: 3 thoughts on a rivalry renewed vs New York Yankees

Recapping last year’s Wild Card Win vs Yankees

Last year’s Wild Card win over the Yankees seemed to be the exclamation point in an almost two-decade role reversal for the two franchises. Yet another opportunity for the Boston Red Sox to stick it to the Yankees.

And following the Wild Card loss, it seemed like maybe the Bronx Bomber era could finally see its sunset. With calls from fans for a roster overhaul or the firing of Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman. Things seemed to be getting dark for the franchise.

In the offseason, the team whiffed on many potential free agent signings. Carlos Correa and Trevor Story were both major free agents who could fill a shortstop hole for the Yankees, but neither chose to sign with the franchise.

Their big move of the offseason, acquiring Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in a trade with the Twins, seemed like a move on the margins for a team that needed a major shakeup.

But, as well all know now, something clicked with the team going into this season where they’ve become the juggernaut Yankees fans always expected them to be.

Meanwhile, on Boston’s side, the team has had a shaky 2022 season coming off a postseason run that seemed to suggest the Sox had become a contender in the AL. The momentum the team had coming off of that run fizzled away at the start of the season when the Red Sox looked like a shell of the playoff team from the year before (despite the addition of a major free agent)

While the Sox have seemingly recovered from that early dry spell, they’re still nowhere close to the position fans thought they were in during that postseason run.