Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
BRONX, NY — Red Sox-Yankees, a baseball rivalry that declined over the past few years. The Yankees continued to reach the postseason, the Red Sox made some strides last year as the rivalry resumed in an American League Wild Card series.
In that October three-game set, the Yankees won in rivalry style, advanced to the ALDS and sent Boston home.
In his postseason debut, Game 3 of the 2025 AL Wild Card Series, his 15th career start in MLB for his career, a winner take all game, Cam Schlittler recorded a dozen strikeouts across eight scoreless innings to send the Red Sox home and Yankees to the ALDS – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The Red Sox then sent out a notice that they would be contenders in 2026 and not pretenders. The rivalry resumed in the Bronx Friday night with the Yankees winning 1-0, the first of four this weekend at Yankee Stadium.
Willson Contreras, batting cleanup at first base, took his pre-game swings on the field, the All-Star is Boston’s cog in the lineup. All-Star numbers in 2026 for the 34-year old Venezuelan—career-high 26 HRs, 78 RBI, .281 AVG and .387 OBP which is fifth among league leaders.
He leads the AL and is one shy of the MLB lead with 11 home runs since the All-Star break, tying a career high with 22 HRs that was set last season. Fourth in triples (4), tied fifth in doubles (28), sixth in extra base hits (54), 11th in runs scored (74) and 13th in walks (60).
Yankees starter Friday night Cam Schlittler, the AL leader in ERA (2.09) struck out Contreras twice on fastballs. And along the way, the right-hander became the fourth youngest Yankee to have a 200-strikeout season joining Al Downing, Luis Severino, and Bob Turley.
In his outing Friday night vs. the Red Sox, Cam Schlittler became the fourth-youngest Yankee to record a 200-strikeout season, behind Al Downing (23 in 1964), Luis Severino (23 in 2017) and Bob Turley (24 in 1955) – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
This rivalry is more significant with Wild Card implications. As for Contreras, he already has a World Series ring with the Cubs, 2016 which also was the year he made his Major League Baseball debut. From signing to the Cardinals after to the Red Sox now on a trade last offseason, situated in the everyday lineup.
“Playing the Yankees, they are a great team,” said Contreras in the visitors clubhouse before heading to the pre-game rituals of stretching and taking some swings. “This is going to be a big series especially since we have faced each other. It could determine a wild card.”
On the season, his first in Boston, Willson Contreras of the Red Sox is slashing .281/.387/.521 with a career-high 26 HRs and 78 RBI – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
He referred to the Red Sox and Yankees facing each other for the final time this season. Up at Fenway Park in late June, the Sox swept the Yankees in a four-game series—the beginning of a season turnaround and historic 15-game winning streak that got them to this point.
The winner of this series and depending on final outcomes could determine positions for the AL postseason, projected at this point to be another Red Sox-Yankees drama type of three games. The season series winner would have home field advantage.
This weekend’s four game series in the Bronx could have major implications in the AL Wild Card and AL postseason picture as the Yankees are in front of the Red Sox by three games for the top AL Wild Card spot – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
This is the first time Contreras is experiencing the rivalry having been a National League All Star with the Cubs and Cardinals.
“I watched a couple of games between the Yankees and Boston but nothing like living it in person,” Contreras said. “I think it is one of the best rivalries in baseball.”
“Every game from now on is really important because we’re getting close to the end of the season and the playoffs. We just have to keep playing the way we’ve been and do the small things that we’ve been doing.”
Doing the small things which become big when Contreras drives in another run, his swing is natural and so is his defense at first base. His ability to scoop a ball having been in the catcher’s position, Cubs and Cardinals, occasionally with the Red Sox, has helped.
“Since I got here I always envisioned the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry,” he said. “It’s good for baseball and for both teams. We’re right there. We go head to head and hopefully the best wins the series.”
Contreras has been consistent, he credits hard work and focus adapting to a new league, there are different approaches switching from the NL to the AL, though many will say all baseball is similar.
It’s about learning new pitchers a ballplayer has never faced, like Schlittler Friday night for the first time though Contreras in hitters meetings got some points and knowledge about the 25-year-old.
“The focus I have this year is a lot different than I have in the past,” he said. “Just because I have more experience in making a judgment, the American League has not been easy. It’s been difficult.”
He witnessed the Red Sox early season struggle, 36-13 in their last 49 games that propelled them to contention. The Yankees now sit with a three-game lead as the second AL Wild Card ahead of them.
The Red Sox are the fastest team in MLB history to go from 14 games under .500 to 13 games over, at 44 days, per Elias—the previous quickest was 59 days by the 1914 Braves, known as the “Miracle Braves” – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
That winning streak was the talk of baseball with interim manager Chad Tracy who replaced Alex Cora.
“I think it just needed time from day one, I knew that we needed time,” Contreras said. “That’s in the past I guess, we have a young team and we needed time to come together and that’s all we needed.”
“I mean we needed time and then we had like a 15 game winning streak and then after that it’s been nothing but good. This team is resilient and relentless and the guys are still working hard. They’re willing to learn and willing to ask.”
As much as Willson Contreras is loving life with the Red Sox, his teammates have embraced him as the engine that makes them go – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
And his Venezuelan heritage, a Latino proudly Venezuela in a league he is now considered a veteran of.
He said, “I’m blessed, I’m really proud to be Venezuelan playing this game especially because we know what we had to go through in the minor leagues before the big leagues. And then after ten years in the big leagues for me makes me feel proud.”
It’s his passion to play and he still has a love for the game like he once did as a kid.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X:@Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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