Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox’s 7-1 victory over the New York Yankees stirred plenty of drama, particularly surrounding a hit-by-pitch incident involving Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers. In just the second pitch of the game, Cole hit Devers, setting off a chain of events that had Red Sox manager Alex Cora fuming after the game.
Cora didn’t hold back in his post-game comments to New England Sports Network, stating, “It was intentional,” referring to Cole’s throw that hit Devers. This incident took center stage in a rivalry already known for its intense history, as the Red Sox and Yankees have been locked in a century-long battle for baseball supremacy. But this time, the stakes were different.
While the 2013 showdown between Red Sox pitcher Ryan Dempster and Yankees star Alex Rodriguez ended with fireworks, including a home run from Rodriguez, Devers didn’t retaliate in the same way. Instead, he kept his composure, despite Cora’s heated response to what he viewed as a deliberate attempt to avoid pitching to one of Boston’s most dangerous hitters.
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In his career against Cole, Devers has been a consistent thorn in the side of the Yankees’ ace. Across 40 at-bats, Devers is hitting .350 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs, establishing himself as one of the few hitters to dominate Cole. After getting hit by a pitch in his first at-bat, Devers was intentionally walked in the fourth inning, leading to three straight Red Sox runs that ultimately shifted the game in Boston’s favor. Devers finished the game 1-for-2, adding two walks and two RBIs, further cementing his success against Cole.
When asked why he believed Cole avoided pitching to Devers, Cora didn’t mince words. “He doesn’t want to face him,” Cora said. “That’s the bottom line. He told us with the intentional walk that in the first at-bat, he hit him. We took exception to that.”
As the MLB playoff race heats up, the Red Sox find themselves four games out of the second wild-card spot with 13 games remaining. While the odds are stacked against them, they’re more than happy to spoil the Yankees’ pursuit of the AL East title. New York holds a 2.5-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles, but Boston is eager to play the spoiler role, especially after this fiery encounter.
The rivalry between these two historic franchises isn’t cooling down anytime soon, and as they head into Sunday’s game, the Red Sox will be looking to secure a series win and perhaps deliver another blow to the Yankees’ playoff hopes.
