The Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees rivalry could be primed to heat up again in the second half of the 2025 season. The Red Sox entered the All-Star break on a 10-game winning streak while the Yankees skidded out of first place and just one game ahead of Boston in the standings.
The Sox and Yankees have two series remaining this year, and they're sure to be entertaining as postseason aspirations inch closer to reality. But no matter how heated the rivalry gets, the players on both sides maintain respect for each other.
“I think there's a level of respect we have for everybody. Especially when you go to Fenway and we step in that historic ballpark. Playing against [the Red Sox], I got a certain level of respect for them, but I also can't wait to beat them every single game I can," Yankees star Aaron Judge said on July 14 on the "Pat McAfee Show" at All-Star media day.
Players must feel a difference in the air during the Boston/New York rivalry games, because they're exceedingly entertaining to watch. This season, the Red Sox have a leg up on the Yankees, with a series win and a sweep over them so far. Boston didn't win any of the three games in the series sweep by more than two runs, though, and the games were all intensely close.
Yankees star Aaron Judge says he 'respects' Red Sox, despite always hoping to beat the historic rivals
"There's a level of respect for the Red Sox but I also wanna beat them every single game..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 14, 2025
It's fun and I really enjoy the rivalry" @TheJudge44 #ProgrumSummerRoadTrip pic.twitter.com/CMNFaamPyr
Judge has, yet again, cemented himself as one of the best players in MLB with his monster 2025 season. He's batting .355/.462/.733 with a 1.195 OPS with 35 homers and 81 RBI through 96 games. As always, Judge is a frontrunner in the MVP conversation, this time alongside MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh (and maybe, in Red Sox fans' eyes, Ceddanne Rafaela).
The Red Sox and Yankees will meet again for a four-game series starting on August 21. Boston held Judge to just one hit in their series at Fenway Park from June 14-16, and shutting him down will be critical to their continued success against their arch rivals in the second half.
Some baseball fans have claimed the Boston/New York rivalry isn't as strong as it once was — the Red Sox and Yankees haven't been good at the same time since Boston started routinely missing the playoffs (we're looking at you, John Henry). But with Garrett Crochet, Alex Bregman and the Sox's top prospects in their lineup, something feels different this year.