Yankees vs. Red Sox: A Look at This Famous AL East Rivalry

New York Yankees History 

Probably the most successful and enduring sports team in history, even those unfamiliar with baseball recognize the team’s moniker and logo. Beginning as an American League team in 1901 under the name Orioles in Maryland, the team made its move to New York after Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the team. The Yankees won their first AL pennant in 1921, a year after contracting Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox. 

In 1923, with the construction of Yankee Stadium, the iconic team won its first home game against the Boston Red Sox. The 4-1 win included the stadium’s first home run by Babe Ruth in front of a nearly 75,000 crowd of fans. Maintaining its early energy and success, the Yankees went on to hold a record number of series titles with 27 wins and a whopping 40 American League pennants. 

The New York Yankees have a number of players among the greatest baseball players of all time in the Baseball Hall of Fame, including Babe Ruth, Gaylord Perry, and Enos Slaughter. 

Where Do the New York Yankees Play Home Games?

Since its construction in the early 1920s, Yankees fans get to enjoy watching the team play home games at Yankee Stadium. The New York Yankees share their stadium with New York City FC in the Bronx, New York. Rebuilt in 2006, Yankee Stadium is one of the most iconic stadiums in baseball and provides a number of amenities that the old stadium lacked. 

Who Are the Top New York Yankees Rivals?

The heated rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees aside, you might be wondering what other teams are also among the Yankees’ top rivals. In previous decades, the biggest rival of the Yankees was the Dodgers.  

1. Houston Astros: The Houston Astros are a new face on the block with a surprising number of wins against the Yankees. No doubt the Yankees, as a veteran team, need to show the Astros they really are the champion team in the American League. 

2. New York Mets: Since they met for the first time in the 2000 World Series, the teams consistently compete for bragging rights in this classic turf war. It may not be the biggest rivalry, but it is definitely one of the most notable ones. 

3. Kansas City Royals: One of the oldest of New York’s top rivals, the Kansas City Royals remain one of the notable 

Who Are the New York Yankees’ Top Three Players?

Babe Ruth aside, here are some of the top Yankees athletes of all time.

1. Bill Dickey: A player that received the honor of being among all of baseball’s greats inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Bill Dickey hit .324 with ten homers and 65 RBIs.

2. Mickey Mantle: Easily one of the best Yankees of all time, Mickey Mantle averaged a slew of home runs over his 18-year career with the team. He led the American League with 37 homers in 1955.

3. Derek Jeter: One of the legendary Yankees to win five championship rings and obtain a .314 batting average. The player was just as successful as a captain as he was a player. 

Boston Red Sox History 

One of the most celebrated and successful franchises in Major League Baseball with nine World Series titles and 14 American League pennants, the Boston Red Sox are equally as storied as the Yankees. It’s hard to miss a Red Sox hat or flag driving up the Northeast Coast, so even those not familiar with the game know of the team. 

The team got its start as one of the original franchise members in 1901. Known as the Boston Americans, the team began to play at Huntington Avenue Grounds before moving to Fenway Park. The name Boston Red Sox caught on a few years later, named after a fellow Boston team, the Boston Red Stockings, who are now the Atlanta Braves. 

The Red Sox had a successful start to their first couple of seasons thanks to star player Denton True “Cy” Young, who was the first pitcher in a century to win 500 games. His performance supposedly set the standard for all pitchers to follow, with three no-hit shutouts and a perfect game played in 1904.

Boston continued to enjoy successful seasons until the sale of Babe Ruth, which preceded the Red Sox’s missed opportunities to compete in the World Series. Regardless of the supposed curse, the Red Sox maintain their status as one of the most enduring and successful franchises in the league. 

Similar to the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox have a number of players who sit among all of the baseball greats in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Among the players are a number of Red Sox managers and coaches too. 

Where Do the Boston Red Sox Play Home Games? 

The Boston Red Sox play home games at Fenway Park, which is the oldest and longest-running baseball stadium in the league. 

Who Are the Top Boston Red Sox Rivals?

1. Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox: The matchup between the Rays and the Red Sox might not be the most exciting rivalry on the surface, but it’s one that fans on both teams continually look forward to. 

2. Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays: This heated rivalry is one that is alive and well, thanks mostly to proximity. As one of the youngest of the rivalries, it can stand to grow.

3. Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox: The rivalry between these two teams is another long one that goes back to the early 20th century. This rivalry is rife with memorable moments full of passion and high emotions, some of which escalated into physical altercations.

The rivalry began in 1901 after the Red Sox beat the Orioles 13-2. Ever since then, a bitter rivalry between the two teams continues to underscore their matchups. 

Who Are the Boston Red Sox’s Top Three Players?

1. Cy Young: Outside of being the winningest pitcher in the league in its first hundred or so years, Cy Young received many awards, including The King of Pitchers Award presented by Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Eben Draper in 1908.

2. Carlton Fisk: Fisk is another Hall of Fame inductee with a career average of 376 home runs and 1330 RBI.

3. Pedro Martinez: Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, Martinez’s career average saw him make 1,006 runs and 2,221 hits.  

New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox Rivalry History 

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have a fierce and bitter rivalry that competes for the biggest rivalry in major league baseball with the rivalry that exists between the Giants and the Dodgers. Which one is the biggest depends on your perspective, but what’s fact is that the Yankees vs. Red Sox rivalry is a longstanding one that isn’t set to burn out any time soon. 

For many, the rivalry began with the Curse of the Bambino. Or, in other words, after the New York Yankees made a contract with Babe Ruth, a former Red Sox player. The two teams are easily the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball and compete head-to-head with some nail-biting moments. Emotions among fans and players alike often run high and physical altercations between these teams are not unusual. 

In typical Northeast Coast fashion, New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox matchups are full of passion. 

New York Yankees vs. Red Sox Series History 

The two teams met more than 2,300 times in the century or so that the teams have existed. While the New York Yankees hold more than 200 wins over the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox enjoyed a 17-game winning streak in the early 1900s. 

New York Yankees vs. Red Sox Playoffs History 

True to the nature of this rivalry, the bitter competition between the two runs deep. Meeting in the series just five times, the Red Sox scored a historic win over the Yankees after nearly a century of series losses. The win followed a dramatic comeback, and the Red Sox followed that win with another win in the American League Wild Card Series. 

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