The Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees rivalry didn't go Boston's way for quite a while, until 2004 changed the tide in Boston's favor. Four World Series' later, and the Red Sox's five playoff misses in the last six years have them back on the underdog side.
Red Sox fans have had to take what they can get out of the greatest rivalry in sports in the last half-decade, and much of that has been Rafael Devers' utter dominance over Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. Boston fans can't even have that this year, though, since Cole underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace over the winter and is unable to pitch for quite some time.
Devers' edge over Cole transcends all others around the league. The Red Sox's designated hitter has blasted a staggering eight homers off Cole in his eight-plus-year big league career, with a .350/.435/.975 slash line and unfathomable 1.410 OPS over 46 plate appearances. He's never hit more than three homers off any other pitcher in MLB.
The Red Sox will be short a few opportunities to make jokes at the Yankees' expense this series, but Devers hits New York pretty well, in general. He's slashing .273/.347/.526 with an .873 OPS, 21 doubles, a triple and 28 homers in 113 games against the Yankees in his career. At just 27 years old, Devers tied Red Sox legend and Yankee killer David Ortiz with 16 homers at Yankee Stadium, and he's shown no signs of slowing down.
Red Sox fans will miss Rafael Devers owning Gerrit Cole while he rehabs from UCL surgery in 2025
Boston needs Devers at his best during its June 6-8 series in the Bronx. The Red Sox's offense has looked lost without Alex Bregman in the lineup while he heals a quad strain, and the DH's history of success against their arch rival could keep them afloat in the American League East. Fortunately, Devers has looked like the best-ever version of himself at the plate this year, with a .285/.408/.506, a .914 OPS, an AL-leading 54 RBI and MLB-best 50 walks in 64 games.
Devers can't own the Yankees on his own, though. Ceddanne Rafaela has also emerged as a bit of a Yankee killer in recent seasons, with a .297/.318/.578 slash line and .896 OPS against them in 16 games in his young career. He's also on a tear at the plate going into the series in New York, with a homer in his last three games. Former Yankees prospect Carlos Narváez has also been hot for the Sox, and Boston fans would love to see him stick it to his former team, at and behind the plate.
The Red Sox haven't been great at carrying momentum after big wins. If Devers and Rafaela can fall back into old habits against the Yankees, they could finally have a chance to string a few wins together and get back into the division race. It won't be an easy task, though, since New York has a firm hold on first place.