Hunter Dobbins says he’d retire before playing for Yankees

Hunter Dobbins says he’d retire before playing for Yankees

It took over 70 days for MLB’s fiercest rivalry, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, to have their first series of the 2025 season.

While both teams were expected to compete for the division crown this year, Boston’s underperformed, having lost an MLB-most 17 games by one run. However, they have split the first two games of the three-game set, with the rubber match Sunday.

Rookie righthander Hunter Dobbins will take the mound for the Red Sox on Sunday, and he made his hate toward their rival well-known.

“My dad was a die-hard Red Sox fan,” Dobbins said, according to the Boston Herald. “And I’ve said it before, that if the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire.

“I didn’t get attached to a team, but I grew up watching (the Red Sox), and just, I think out of disdain for the Yankees, I watched anybody but them.”

Once upon a time, outfielder Johnny Damon said that he would never play for the Yankees. Well, he did from 2006-09, winning a World Series in 2009. Dobbins won’t reach arbitration until 2028, so he has at least a half-decade until he’ll enter free agency to decide whether or not that sentiment holds true.

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All things considered, he’s been one of Boston’s best starters. In nine appearances (seven starts), he’s posted a 4.06 ERA (103 ERA+), albeit a 3.38 FIP, with 37 strikeouts through 44.1 innings. The Red Sox have the fifth-worst rotation ERA, 11th-worst FIP and 14th-worst K-BB% across baseball.

The Yankees have the best offense in MLB, especially against right-handed pitching, with or without Aaron Judge, who’s having a historically great season. Will they be able to pierce the Red Sox rookie?

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