The storied rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox remains one of the most celebrated and intense rivalries in sports history. It began when Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to New York and called up a curse on them which kept them from winning a World Series for decades. Since then, the teams have been at crossroads with each other.
The Red Sox-Yankees rivalries have garnered massive viewership over the years. The intensity and quality of baseball remains always high. While both teams have achieved massive success in the past decades, this season has brought along its fair share of challenges. And if the current trend continues, the rivals are set to land on the other side of history.
Yankees, Red Sox, Could Break 30-Year-Old History With Current Poor Performance
For years, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have been synonymous with success. They have garnered numerous championships, passionate fanbases, and iconic moments that have defined baseball history. However, the 2023 season has been a challenging year for the arch-rivals. Both teams have struggled with injuries, inconsistent performances, and unexpected setbacks that have led them to disappointing win-loss records. For the most part of the season, the rivals have shared the bottom spot of the AL-East division. As of this writing, Red Sox sit fourth with 60-55, whereas the Yankees remain last with 59-56. It’s already August, and both teams have approximately 40 games left on the schedule.
At this rate, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will both miss the playoffs. If so happens, it would be the first time since 1993 that neither of the arch-rivals managed to make it to the postseason. While neither club wants to be associated with such kind of a record, the ill fate is inevitable. As far as the Yanks are concerned, they remain low on healthy bodies. Moreover, the notable names continue to disappoint. The lack of urgency within the club’s front office is not helping either. They currently sit five games behind the wildcard spot. Ultimately, it’s just a matter of time before the reigning AL-East champions fall out of the playoff contention.
Front Office’s Overconfidence Has Doomed The Yanks Over The Years
The problem with the New York Yankees lies within their ideology and approach. Over the past many years, the front office has believed that the secret to success is having a lineup filled with starry names. They have prioritized securing players with notable achievements rather than players with good potential and future. This season as well, the ideology has doomed the Yankees.
During the off-season, the club retained veterans such as DJ LeMahieu, Josh Donaldson, and Aaron Hicks, who remain in the last stretch of their careers. In the process, they spent a massive chunk of money and thought that success was guaranteed. However, the season has turned out to be the exact opposite, and each and every trusted veteran has failed to put up average numbers, let alone anything extraordinary. It’s high time the Yankees went through an organizational change to ensure success in the future.
