Jeter Downs highlight at Yankees spring training is misery for Red Sox fans

Boston Red Sox fans have been pleasantly surprised with the team's pitching this spring training (with the exception of Lucas Giolito) in what's helped dull the pain from an incredibly disappointing offseason.

And even after a victory on Sunday in which Kutter Crawford allowed just two hits and struck out four over three innings of work, the Red Sox were reminded of more previous transgressions.

Over at New York Yankees spring training, former Sox top prospect (and key piece in the Mookie Betts trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers) Jeter Downs is working to revive his career and find a permanent home. The Sox designated him for assignment after the 2022 season and he was picked up by the Washington Nationals. He only lasted a year in the nation's capital and was eventually DFA'd this past December.

Then came the Yankees, in what was likely nothing more than a transaction to get under the Sox's skin. New York claimed Downs, put him on the 40-man roster, and then DFA'd him a month later to make another move.

Downs then cleared waivers and remained with the Yanks. He can now be seen making plays like this in what's sure to infuriate Sox fans.

Jeter Downs highlight at Yankees spring training is misery for Red Sox fans

A Derek Jeter-esque play for Jeter Downs. Goodness, make it stop. Shut these Yankees fans up, they've had enough to blabber about this offseason.

On the one hand, Downs' bat has been poor this spring, so he probably doesn't stand a chance to break camp with the Bombers. But seeing any highlights of him in a Yankees uniform is bound to incite anger in Boston.

Downs is a reminder of everything that's wrong with the Red Sox right now. His arrival in Boston is what turned everything over the last four years. The Betts trade. Chaim Bloom's failures. The scouting department's misses. Ownership's inability to fix any personnel issue whatsoever.

Though his introductory to the rivalry was satisfying, the damage had already been done. The Sox tried to expedite his development by thrusting him to Triple-A after he had played in just 12 Double-A games and missed the entire 2020 season because of the pandemic. Then, he made his MLB debut after 81 below-average games at Triple-A. It makes total sense why things ended up the way they did.

At least the current up-and-coming talent in the Red Sox's organization is offering some hope. The faster that can happen, the more easily we can forget about this.