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A look at some of the most notable players who have played for both the Red Sox and Yankees throughout history.
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Introduction
As two of the most iconic and historic franchises in Major League Baseball, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have developed one of the fiercest rivalries in all of sports. As a result, it is very rare for a player to don the uniform of both teams during their career. In fact, since the beginning of the 20th century, only a handful of players have had the unique distinction of playing for both the Red Sox and Yankees. Here are some of the most notable players to have played for both teams.
Players Who Played for Both Red Sox and Yankees
The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees are two of the most iconic baseball teams in America. They have a long-standing rivalry that has produced some of the best moments in baseball history. Many players have had the opportunity to play for both teams, but only a handful have been able to call themselves champions of both. Here are the stories of the players who have played for both the Red Sox and the Yankees.
Babe Ruth
George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed “The Bambino” and “The Sultan of Swat”, he began his MLB career as a stellar left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth established many MLB batting records, including career home runs (714), runs batted in (RBIs) (2,213), bases on balls (2,062), slugging percentage (.690), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.164); the latter two still stand as of 2019. Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time.
In 1936, Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its “first five” inaugural members. At age 42, he was the youngest person ever inducted into the Hall at that time.Gehrig had already been elected that same year; they were inducted together into the Hall in 1939. Ruth’s number 3 has been retired by both the Yankees and Red Sox.
Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs is a former professional baseball player who played for both the Red Sox and the Yankees. He was born in 1962 and grew up in Tampa, Florida. Boggs was drafted by the Red Sox in 1981 and made his Major League debut with the team in 1982. He played with the Red Sox for 11 seasons, winning the American League batting title in 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1989. In 1992, he signed with the Yankees as a free agent and played with them for five seasons. Boggs retired from baseball in 1999.
Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens played for the Red Sox from 1984-1996 and then for the Yankees from 1999-2003 and again in 2007. He is one of only 29 players in Major League Baseball history to have played for both the Red Sox and the Yankees.
Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon played for the Red Sox from 2002-2005 and then played for the Yankees from 2006-2009. He was a member of the 2004 Red Sox team that won the World Series.
Conclusion
It is safe to say that there is no love lost between the Red Sox and Yankees, two of baseball’s most storied franchises. The rivalry is one of the most well-known in all of sports, and the animosity between the two fan bases is well documented. So when a player has the opportunity to play for both teams, it is sure to create a stir.
Over the years, there have been a handful of players who have had the unique distinction of donning the uniform of both the Red Sox and Yankees. Some have had more success with one team than the other, while others have been met with equal levels of success or failure with both. But regardless of their individual experiences, each player who has played for both teams has played an important role in the history of this great rivalry.
