Red Sox fans depressed watching Yankees go for it while Boston rebuilds for 4 years

The New York Yankees and their fans were confident entering the 2023 season. New York signed Aaron Judge and Carlos Rodón long-term, and fans were optimistic they would be part of a Yankees team that brought a championship back to the city.

But by July, the Yankees and their division rival Boston Red Sox were in a race for last place. Boston ended up at the bottom for the third time in four years, but even the concept of last place was too much for many Yankee fans to bear.

The disappointment and fan outrage forced the Yankees to "go for it" in 2024. They traded for Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo to round out their outfield. They signed Marcus Stroman, a Red Sox free agency target, who's pitched to a 2.82 ERA over 79.2. innings. Judge is on a tear at the plate, and he and Soto are a deadly combination for opposing pitchers.

New York has had a firm hold on first place in the American League East for much of the season. The Orioles haven't been far behind, but the Yankees show no signs of slowing down. Reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole isn't healthy yet and Jasson Dominguez will be on his way to the big leagues within weeks.

The Yankees' rebuild has taken half as long as the Red Sox's

It took one mediocre season for the Yankees' ownership to wake up. Before 2023, New York hadn't missed the postseason since 2016. Meanwhile, after four unimpressive seasons in five years, Red Sox fans are left with scraps — even their 2021 ALCS roster was quite lackluster.

The 2024 Yankees are a perfect example of how an elite franchise should act after disappointing seasons. They haven't won any prizes yet, but their complete rebuild has taken half as long as Boston's has, and the Red Sox aren't even finished yet.

Boston's front office preached that it hoped to field a "competitive team" this season, and while the Red Sox's record sits at .500, they won't compete for anything in the AL East. Competing in the regular season doesn't matter if you don't even sniff October, and at the rate the Yankees and Orioles are going, the Red Sox may not for some time.

More Red Sox reads: