Roger Clemens Dominance Era

Lore & Background

Nicknamed 'The Rivalry' by some, the 1919 sale of star Red Sox player Babe Ruth to the Yankees popularized one of the most well-known aspects of the rivalry: a superstition known as the 'Curse of the Bambino', attributed to Boston’s 86-year World Series drought which began upon Ruth’s sale to New York. Coincidentally, when the Red Sox broke the curse by winning the 2004 World Series, they defeated the Yankees in the ALCS after overcoming a 3–0 deficit. The Red Sox and the Yankees have faced each other three times in the ALCS, with the Yankees winning twice, in 1999 and 2003, and the Red Sox winning in 2004. The two teams have also met once in the American League Division Series (ALDS), in 2018, with Boston winning 3–1, a series which included a 16–1 Red Sox win in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, the largest margin of defeat in a postseason game in the Yankees' history. The Red Sox beat the Yankees in the 2021 American League Wild Card Game. In addition, the teams have twice met in the last regular-season series to decide the AL pennant, in 1904 (when the Red Sox, then known as the Americans, won) and 1949 (when the Yankees won). The Yankees and the Red Sox finished tied for first in 1978; subsequently, the Yankees won a high-profile tie-breaker game for the division title. The first-place tie came after the Red Sox had a 14-game lead over the Yankees more than halfway through the season. Similarly, in the 2004 ALCS, the Yankees ultimately lost a best-of-seven series after leading 3–0. The Red Sox comeback was the only time in American baseball history that a team has come back from a 3–0 deficit to win a series. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series, ending the 86-year-old curse.

In Their Own Story

The humid air of Fenway Park hung heavy over the diamond as Roger Clemens stepped onto the mound for his first pitch of the night. The crowd, a sea of red and navy, fell into a hush reserved only for the ace. He gripped the ball, his signature scowl fixed on home plate, before unleashing a fastball that blurred past the batter's bat. In that moment, amidst the crack of leather against wood and the roar of the fans, it was clear: as long as the Rocket was pitching, Boston had a chance to conquer the world.

Reader's Guide

The rivalry is often a heated subject of conversation, especially in the home region of both teams, the Northeastern United States. Until 2014, every MLB postseason featured one or both teams beginning with the inception of the wild card format and resultant additional Division Series in 1995, when both teams were assigned to the American League’s East Division. Games between the two teams often generate considerable interest and receive extensive media coverage, including being broadcast on national television. National carriers of Major League Baseball coverage, including Fox/FS1, ESPN, and MLB Network carry most of the games in the rivalry across the nation, regardless of team standings or playoff implications. Yankees–Red Sox games are some of the most-watched MLB games each season. Outside of baseball, the rivalry has led to violence between fans, along with attention from politicians and other athletes.

Did You Know?

• The 1919 sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees led to the 'Curse of the Bambino', an 86-year World Series drought for the Red Sox.
• The Red Sox broke the curse by winning the 2004 World Series after defeating the Yankees in the ALCS, overcoming a 3–0 deficit.
• The Red Sox beat the Yankees in the 2021 American League Wild Card Game.
• The teams met in the 2018 ALDS, with Boston winning 3–1, including a 16–1 win in Game 3, the largest margin of defeat in a postseason game in Yankees history.
• The Red Sox and Yankees have faced each other three times in the ALCS: Yankees won in 1999 and 2003, Red Sox won in 2004.