On Tuesday, one of the most storied rivalries in sports commenced. The Red Sox and Yankees played Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series at Yankee Stadium.
In an interesting turn of events, history was made by Red Sox OF Masataka Yoshida, per OptaSTATS. With the game tied at one, Yoshida managed to bring home the go-ahead run in the top of the 7th inning to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.
In the process, Yoshida became the first player in MLB history to do that in his first playoff at-bat and with his team trailing. A big deal for Yoshida, who came off the injured list two months ago. Last October, he underwent surgery on his shoulder.
In 2024, Yoshida had to battle an additional range of injuries.
This year, Yoshida finished the regular season batting .266 with 4 home runs, 26 RBIs, and 50 hits. Meanwhile, Boston finished the regular season with a record of 89-73. The Yankees finished even with the Toronto Blue Jays at 94-68.
Overall, the best of three Wild Card series will determine who will play the Blue Jays in the Division Series.
History is rich in the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry
This is the latest in a long history of being made between two of the fiercest rivals in all of sports. The rivalry's origins can be traced back to 1919.
That year, Babe Ruth, a successful pitcher and hitter with the Red Sox, was traded to the Yankees. Afterward, the Yankees proceeded to win 26 World Series titles. In 2004, Boston ended what was dubbed the “Curse of the Bambino” when they won the World Series for the first time since 1918.
Altogether, the “curse” was predicated on the notion that the trading of Ruth somehow derailed the Red Sox ability to win. During that period, the Red Sox and Yankees have mustered up some historic moments.
In 1978, Yankees' short stop Bucky Dent hit a big time home run during the 1978 one game playoff. Twenty five years later, Aaron Boone hit a walk off in Game 7 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium.
The following year, the Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees and win the ALCS.
Funny things happen when these two are involved.
