Contents
A list of all the Red Sox players who have gone on to play for the Yankees.
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Introduction
The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees are two of the most iconic and storied franchises in baseball history. They have been rivals for over a century, and the competition between them is often considered to be the greatest rivalry in all of sports.
Throughout the years, there have been many great players who have donned both the Red Sox and Yankees jerseys. Some of them were traded from one team to the other, while others simply left via free agency.
In this article, we will take a look at all of the players who have had the unique experience of playing for both the Red Sox and Yankees.
Red Sox Players Who Went to the Yankees
The Red Sox and Yankees have a long-standing rivalry. So when a player from one team goes to the other, it’s a big deal. Here is a list of all the Red Sox players who have gone to the Yankees.
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth is one of the most famous baseball players of all time. He started his career with the Boston Red Sox, but was sold to the New York Yankees in 1920. He quickly became a star player for the Yankees, and helped them win several World Series titles. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest baseball players in history.
Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens, nicknamed “Rocket”, is a former starting pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), pitching for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and New York Mets. He won seven Cy Young Awards during his career, the most of any pitcher in MLB history. Clemens was one of the most dominant pitchers in major league history, achieving an unparalleled peak from 1986 to 1996 when he won seven Cy Young Awards. During those 11 seasons, he won an MVP Award and two World Series rings with the Yankees.
Clemens had some of his best years with the Red Sox. In 1986, he had a regular season record of 24-4 and an ERA of 2.48. He also struck out 20 batters in a game against Seattle, becoming the first American League pitcher to do so since 1955. In reaction to fan disappointment that Clemens had not been brought back to the Red Sox after his great 1986 campaign and following a terrible start to the 1988 season by then-Red Sox pitcher Mike Boddicker, general manager Lou Gorman traded Boddicker to Baltimore for utility infielder Donnie Sadler and three minor leaguers (including Curt Schilling). The trade is now considered one of the worst in Red Sox history.
Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs played for the Red Sox from 1982-1992. During his time with the team, he was a 6-time All-Star and won the AL batting title in 1983 and 1985. He left the Sox as a free agent in 1992, signing with the Yankees. He would go on to win his third batting title in 1996 and was a key member of the Yankees’ World Series winning team that year.
Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek is a former professional baseball catcher. He played his entire Major League Baseball career with the Boston Red Sox and is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame.
Varitek was born in Rochester, Michigan, but he grew up in Altamonte Springs, Florida. He attended Georgia Tech, where he played college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He was selected by the Red Sox in the first round of the 1994 Major League Baseball draft.
Varitek made his Major League debut in 1997. He became the starting catcher in 1999 and remained in that role until his retirement in 2011. He was a three-time All-Star and won two World Series championships with the Red Sox, in 2004 and 2007.
In December 2004, Varitek married former Miss Hooters International Nicole Murphy; they have since divorced. They have two daughters, Bailey Nicole (born March 10, 2005) and Alexandra Grace (born February 28, 2009).
Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon spent four seasons with the Red Sox from 2002 to 2005, including their 2004 World Series-winning campaign. He then left for the Yankees in 2006, where he spent four seasons and won another World Series in 2009.
Conclusion
As disappointing as it is for Red Sox fans, many great players have left Boston to don the pinstripes in New York. Some of the most iconic names in baseball history have made the switch, including Babe Ruth, Roger Clemens, and Wade Boggs. More recent examples include Curt Schilling and Johnny Damon.
It’s always hard to see a favorite player leave, but sometimes players just need a change of scenery. In some cases, players have had more success with the Yankees than they did with the Red Sox. For example, Schilling won two World Series titles with New York, while Damon was part of the 2009 championship team.
Ultimately, it’s up to the player to decide where he wants to play. Red Sox fans can only hope that their favorite players will stay in Boston for their entire careers.
