Yankees Icon Says Baseball Needs Red Sox

For years, Alex Rodriguez played the villain in one of baseball’s most bitter rivalries. Now, the longtime New York Yankees star is offering a surprising bit of praise for the Boston Red Sox.

During FOX’s All-Star Game pregame show, the conversation turned to which storylines had defined the season. David Ortiz backed Boston, citing their unexpected surge after trading Rafael Devers. Rodriguez did not disagree.

“Papi, I agree with you,” Rodriguez said. “Look, bottom line, boys, if we zoom out, it’s great for baseball when the Boston — I can’t believe I’m saying this — when the Boston Red Sox are good. And right now they’re playing great.” The quote was transcribed by Michael Dixon of Awful Announcing.

That endorsement might feel strange coming from the same player who once stood at the center of multiple Red Sox-Yankees flashpoints.

Rodriguez nearly landed with the Red Sox via trade in 2004 before the deal was vetoed by MLB. Instead, he joined New York and became an instant villain.

Just months after his arrival, he helped the Yankees steal a ninth inning win at Fenway Park, then found himself in a now-infamous shouting match and brawl with Jason Varitek the next day after being hit by a pitch. That spat still ranks among the most heated moments in the rivalry’s modern history.

And yet, nothing compares to what happened in the 2004 ALCS. With the Yankees unraveling and Boston on the brink of completing the greatest comeback in playoff history, Rodriguez slapped the ball out of Bronson Arroyo’s glove in a desperate bid to keep a rally alive. The umpires ruled interference. Boston won the game, then the pennant, and soon after, the World Series.

Rodriguez might never be beloved in Boston. But his words signal a simple truth: even longtime enemies recognize the Red Sox make baseball better when they matter.