Almost every new Boston Red Sox player has ragged on their arch rival New York Yankees this offseason. Even former Yankees themselves have gotten in on the fun.
Sonny Gray, who struggled during his time in pinstripes in 2018, told Boston media shortly after the trade that brought him in that he never wanted to play in New York. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the latest new Red Sox to pile on — he said his most recent team, the Toronto Blue Jays, were excited that the Yankees beat the Red Sox in the 2025 Wild Card because they saw New York as an easier opponent.
Kiner-Falefa's former manager, Aaron Boone, spoke on February 11 at Yankees spring training. He responded to the infielder's comment in a way that has Red Sox fans laughing.
"I guess he was right," Boone said. "A little surprising to hear IKF say that, but whatever, that's fine."
Red Sox fans got a laugh out of Aaron Boone's response to Isiah Kiner-Falefa shade
Boone shrugged, smiled and eventually laughed through his comments, saying he wasn't all that bothered by Kiner-Falefa's dig. He still didn't defend his team, though, despite the fact that they reverse-swept the Red Sox after Garrett Crochet carried them in the first game.
While the Red Sox may have been a tougher matchup for the Jays, it wouldn't have mattered who got through to the second round. Toronto had the best record in the American League last season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. found himself in the postseason after a down year, the Sox were severely injured and the Blue Jays made it all the way to the World Series to go a full seven games against the twice-reining champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Kiner-Falefa was never a popular Yankee. He's always been a defense-first player, which doesn't fly easily in the Bronx. His defensive skills took a dip in 2022 when he was the Yankees' starting shortstop and he logged four outs below average and 13th percentile defense. He improved in more of a utility role in 2023, but he's still one of the lowest-power hitters in the league. IKF saw his chance to roast the Yankees and ran with it, whether his comment was accurate or not.
The Red Sox and Blue Jays are expected to be in playoff positions again this season, and the Yankees are, well, the Yankees. The same three teams could easily sit at the top of the American League East, ready for another set of playoff matchups in about eight months. The Red Sox may have fixed up their rotation enough to actually be the fearsome playoff opponent Kiner-Falefa made them out to be.