Inside The Red Sox

Yankees' Aaron Boone Gets Real About Red Sox's Offseason, 2025 Playoff Chances

Is the rivalry finally back on?
Jackson Roberts|
Feb 13, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) gives a press conference during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Feb 13, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) gives a press conference during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In this story:

Boston Red Sox

Major League Baseball is better when both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are in the playoff hunt.

While the rivalry may never quite reach the heights of the early 2000s again, we've seen more recent seasons with real vitriol between the Yankees and Red Sox. Plus, the last two times Boston made the playoffs (2018 and 2021), they eliminated the Yankees in their first-round series.

With Boston missing the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and New York making it to the World Series last year, the pendulum had shifted a bit in the Yankees' direction. Did the Red Sox do enough this offseason to swing it back?

Well, in this instance, respect is a good thing, and the Yankees' manager certainly seems to have more of it for this Red Sox squad than he did the past few seasons.

On Monday, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone discussed the Red Sox's offseason, hinting that the team looked better on paper and would be a threat to take away the Yankees' American League East title.

“I prefer them in that .500 area. I’m fine with that,” Boone said, per Peter Abraham. “They’re always a tough opponent. It has that rivalry nature no matter what the two teams are going through.”

“Getting Alex (Bregman) here recently, they look like they have a really formidable team. We talk about our division and how tough it is, I certainly feel that way sitting here right now. You can make a case for all five teams.”

The projections still seem to favor the Yankees as division favorites, but there's no doubt the Red Sox have closed the 13-game gap that existed between the two last season. Fangraphs projects New York to win the division at 87-75, with Boston in second place at 85-77.

With Juan Soto having left New York and the Red Sox bringing in Bregman and Garrett Crochet, the balance of star power feels much more equivalent. Perhaps both teams' depth will be the key in determining whether either outlasts the rest of the division to take home the crown.

More MLB: Red Sox Predicted For Solid Return On $120 Million Investment: 'Career Revival'

Published
Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

Home/Boston Red Sox News