The Boston Red Sox have missed the playoffs in five of the last six seasons, but this year's miss hurts more than many of the others.
The Red Sox were eliminated from postseason contention with three games left in the season, the closest they came to the playoffs since their 2021 run. Boston fans will watch the World Series from home as the Yankees take on the Dodgers, who have six former Red Sox on their squad, including Mookie Betts — as if it isn't hard enough to watch New York in the Fall Classic.
Bill Simmons, Ringer founder and Red Sox fan, recently shared his rooting interest in the Dodgers on a recent installment of "The Bill Simmons Podcast." His love for Betts would've been enough to make him an LA fan for the impending World Series, but his desire to see the Yankees lose resonates with all Sox fans.
Simmons also critiqued New York's performance in the ALDS and CS. The Yankees had to get through two small-market teams to make the World Series, and they didn't exactly make it look easy.
Bill Simmons' recent comments about Yankees in the World Series reflect all Red Sox fans' feelings
"Now the chests are puffed out again because [the Yankees] beat the Guardians and the Royals," Simmons said. "You hit .230 in nine playoff games like, 'oh, look out, big bad Yankees are back!' I can't wait for the Dodgers to just ram it right up their sphincters."
The .230 average Simmons cited is lower than New York's true postseason batting average, but he's correct to say its offense hasn't been booming. The Yankees have slashed .237/.346/.414 with a .760 OPS with 13 homers and 43 runs as a team through their nine playoff games. In comparison, the Dodgers are batting .251/.351/.434 with a .785 OPS, 20 homers and 70 runs as a team through 11 games.
While LA might have an offensive edge as Aaron Judge is struggling, New York has the upper hand in the pitching matchups. Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt are a better and more complete rotation than Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler.
If Judge gets going or the Dodgers' offense slows down, Simmons' comments won't age well, but even worse, Sox fans may have to deal with the Yankees winning baseball's biggest prize. Hopefully, Betts, playoff Kiké Hernández and Shohei Ohtani can't be denied, for Boston's sake.