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The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have split the first two games in their current series, with both matchups featuring high octane offense from the two teams. But the rivalry between them isn't as fierce as it used to be few decades back. Plenty argue that it has been dwarfed by other rivalries that have gained prominence, like one in the NL West.
Over the years, the players that made the rivalry great retired or left the clubs, and the intensity faded with newer fans filling stadiums who had little memory of the epic marquee clashes between the teams.
However, the same intensity can now be felt between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. While the Dodgers consider the San Francisco Giants as their closest rival, the Padres' rise since the turn of the decade has been noteworthy. The two teams have faced each other thrice in NLDS matchups, with the Dodgers winning twice, winning the World Series in both years (2020, 2024).
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As per Padres sportscaster Tony Gwynn Jr. on Baseball Mixtape, the rivalry heating up in the recent years makes it the No. 1 fixture on the MLB calendar:
"Yeah, it's time not a debate. I don't think in terms of best rivalry, it hasn't been a debate for the last three years. I think the Padres and Dodgers are the best rivalry in baseball, bar none. Now, granted, it hasn't always been that way. Obviously, the Yankees-Red Sox dominated the late '90s all the way through the 2000s. However, because both of those teams aren't at the same level, it's kind of hard for people to have a rivalry.
"They don't seem to have the disdain that they used to have for one another. And that's all part of the pot—the mix in the pot that makes a rivalry. The Dodgers and Padres may not have the same type of disdain, but they certainly recognize that one another are their biggest foe. And every time they get together, there's fireworks."
As neighboring cities, Boston and New York have had sporting rivalries across sports. The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry was a significant factor in increasing the popularity of the sport, especially during Babe Ruth's time, that saw Ruth get moved from Boston to the Bronx, infamously instilling the Babino curse.
However, the Red Sox broke out of the curse in the 21st century, and most of their run leading to their first World Series in 86 years was going toe-to-toe with the Yanks. The pair first met in the postseason in 1999, when New York was on a dynasty run. After their dominance ended, the Red Sox took the 2004 title, beating the Yankees in the ALCS after being 3-0 down.
Aaron Boone makes feelings known about the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry
Ahead of their current series, Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke about the pressure of facing Boston and the sigh of relief he exhales once they get done with a series between the two teams.
"It's a lot of fun going up against another great franchise and team like that," he said. "I always enjoy it but you also exhale at the end of the weekend when you're finished with it and get to move on."
As the Yanks-Red Sox conclude their series on Sunday, the Dodgers and the Padres will face each other for the first time, keeping the action going in the MLB.
