Yankees Say Goodbye to Hated Red Sox Pitcher

Boston Red Sox rookie pitcher Hunter Dobbins made headlines this summer for some tough words he had to say about the New York Yankees.

“My dad was a diehard Red Sox fan,” Dobbins said back in June, (H/t The Boston Herald).“And I’ve said it before, that if the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire.”

The Yankees were able to take the comments in stride, with second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. sharing on social media that there should be "more trash talk in baseball." New York managed to silence the haters further by defeating Boston 2-1 in the 2025 AL Wild Card Series.

Red Sox Send Yankees-Hating Pitcher to St. Louis

Well now, the Yankees have the last laugh on Dobbins, who is headed to St. Louis as part of a deal to bring Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras to Boston. In addition to Dobbins, the Yankees' arch rivals included right-handed pitching prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita in the trade for Contreras.

While Dobbins initially told media that the Yankees had drafted his father, Lance, before trading him to the Arizona Diamondbacks, leading to some animosity between the family and the Pinstripes, sources from Arizona said the story wasn't true. Dobbins' other claim, that his father was friends with Yankees legend Andy Pettitte were also debunked by the Pettitte family themselves.

Jun 20, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins (73) gives a thumbs up before pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Dobbins played in 13 games (11 starts) for the Red Sox this season, including two wins against the Yankees, for an ERA of 4.13 and 1.28 WHIP in his first season as a major leaguer. While he might rather retire than be a Yankee, its possible the Pinstripes could have used Dobbins as additional starting depth to begin the 2026 season.

Yankees Could Use Another Starter

While intra-division trades are rare, Dobbins might have given the Yankees' rotation a needed boost. While they'll have both left handed ace Max Fried and rookie sensation Cam Schlittler on Opening Day, three starters will begin their 2026 on the injured list.

Both Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt suffered UCL tears, with Cole out for the entire 2025 season. Schmidt's injury occurred midway through the season, and while both men needed Tommy John surgery, he could miss the entirety of 2026. Carlos Rodón also required surgery to remove foreign bodies and shave a bone spur in his left elbow, and while the recovery time is shorter, he will need to ramp up as the season begins.

Manager Aaron Boone has said the team isn't necessarily looking for another starter, breaking Dobbins' heart and adding him to the rotation wouldn't have hurt a team that might begin next season banged up.

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