Alex Rodriguez fires off 4-word jab as ex-MLBer looks back on 2004 Yankees-Red Sox rivalry

New York Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez was involved in several epic showdowns against the Boston Red Sox during his time with the Bronx Bombers.

Even after retiring from the game, Rodriguez is not fond of being reminded of the games he lost against the Red Sox as a Yankee. The Yankees icon was tagged in former Red Sox slugger Johnny Damon's Instagram story as he shared Boston's famous win over their rivals on Sept. 17, 2004.

The Red Sox came back from behind in the ninth inning against Mariano Rivera to take the game 3-2 and stun the crowd at Yankee Stadium. Damon shared a picture from the game in his story, featuring himself and a pensive Rodriguez.

The former Yankees infielder responded with a 4-word message to the post.

"This one hurts Johnny."

Later in October, Damon struck two crucial home runs in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees. One of them was a grand slam that helped Boston to clinch the game and progress to the World Series in one of the most remarkable comebacks in postseason history.

Johnny Damon turns hero as Alex Rodriguez wins first World Series title

While Johnny Damon was the pantomime villain for the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS, the All-Star signed for the Yankees in 2005. His redemption in the Yankees fanbase came in 2009 when he hit home runs in Games 3 and 4 of the ALCS against the Los Angeles Angels, helping the team reach the World Series.

The Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the marquee event to win the World Series, their last. It was one of the defining moments of A-Rod's career as he finally got his hands on the ring he had craved for more than a decade.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash