Boston Red Sox rookie pitcher Hunter Dobbins is defending his previous claims about his father's alleged career with the New York Yankees, stating that he was simply repeating stories he heard growing up rather than intentionally fabricating information, amid revelations that his father Lance never actually played for the Yankees as investigations found his professional baseball career was limited to independent leagues.
The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry stands as one of the fiercest in American sports, dating back to May 7, 1903, when the New York Highlanders (later renamed Yankees) faced the Boston Red Sox for the first time.1 The rivalry truly ignited in 1919 when Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees, triggering the infamous "Curse of the Bambino" and an 86-year World Series drought for Boston that lasted until 2004.23
The teams have created numerous memorable confrontations throughout their history, including three American League Championship Series matchups (1999, 2003, and 2004) and a 2018 ALDS meeting where Boston delivered a crushing 16-1 victory at Yankee Stadium.2 Their competitive balance has evolved over time, with the Yankees dominating the regular season record (1,238 wins to Boston's 1,022), while postseason matchups remain deadlocked at 12 wins each.1 Beyond baseball, the rivalry reflects deeper cultural differences between the cities, with Boston's Irish heritage contrasting with New York's Italian influences, adding another dimension to this enduring sports conflict.1
Lance Dobbins, Hunter's father, never played for the New York Yankees as his son claimed. His professional baseball career was limited to independent leagues between 1996-1997, where he compiled a 4-10 record with an 8.64 ERA across 29 games for the Meridian Brakemen and Ohio Valley Redcoats.1 During this brief career, Lance recorded 49 strikeouts against 77 walks over 91.7 innings pitched.21
Despite Hunter's claims about his father being drafted by the Yankees and traded to the Diamondbacks, investigations by the New York Post found no record of Lance in the Yankees organization.32 While Lance's Texas Tech bio and the 2025 Red Sox media guide mention him being in the Diamondbacks organization, former Diamondbacks GM Joe Garagiola Jr. and manager Buck Showalter have no recollection of him.2 Following his playing days, Lance has worked as a pitching coach/instructor since 2002 and served as a scout and draft consultant for the Tampa Bay Rays.24
Before his start against the Yankees on June 9, 2025, Hunter Dobbins made headlines with his provocative pre-game comments to the Boston Herald, declaring he'd "rather retire" than accept a contract from New York if they were the last team to offer him one.1 The rookie right-hander didn't stop there, adding "I think whoever I was playing with or whoever I would have been drafted by, I'd still hate the Yankees, so Sunday should be a fun one," while expressing hope he might "hit a career-high in velo" during the rivalry game.1
These bold statements caught the attention of Yankees players, with captain Aaron Judge admitting he was "a little surprised" by the comments, noting "I've only heard Ken Griffey say that."2 Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. was more direct, calling Dobbins' stance "kind of crazy," questioning why a rookie would "rule out one out of 30 teams to be a professional athlete."34 Despite the controversy, Dobbins seemed to embrace the hostile Yankee Stadium atmosphere, later telling reporters, "It made the rivalry atmosphere feel a lot more fun. I enjoyed it a lot."35
