The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will meet for the first time this season Friday in the Bronx — a later-than-usual start to one of baseball’s most storied rivalries.
As noted by [Peter Botte of the _New York Post_](https://nypost.com/2025/06/06/sports/yankees-red-sox-rivalrys-latest-chapter-will-feature-first-tastes/), this marks the fifth time in six years the first matchup between the teams has arrived in June or later, including the pandemic-altered 2020 season.
Boston enters the three-game set sitting 9 1/2 games behind first-place New York in the American League East. The Red Sox, who come in with a 30-34 record, will be without injured infielder Alex Bregman, sidelined with a quad issue.
“Obviously, it’s been a tough start for them, but a lot of close games that they’ve been on the wrong side of,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the media on Thursday after New York shut out Cleveland, as transcribed by Botte.
“We really viewed them in spring training and early in the season as, like, a really talented team. We know what they’re capable of and feel like that can still be a reality for them. We feel like a really good, hungry club is gonna be coming in here … I feel like they’re very dangerous.”
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For the Yankees, Friday’s opener will mark a bounce-back opportunity for rookie right-hander Will Warren, who allowed seven earned runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last outing. The 24-year-old is set to face Boston for the first time.
Cody Bellinger, who played in numerous high-stakes series as a Dodger, said he’s eager to experience his first Yankees–Red Sox clash.
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“I’m very excited about it,” Bellinger said. “I always think of that ’04 Red Sox team, and obviously you know about the rivalry … I’m sure the atmosphere is going to be really fun.”
Teammate Paul Goldschmidt added that the environment reminds him of his days with St. Louis: “(Chicago) Cubs–Cardinals was that way in St. Louis … Everyone loves to play in those atmospheres.”
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images