The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have become one of the most storied rivalries across all four major American sports. As a result, the two sides don’t normally do business with one another, which is why the entire league was shocked when they almost agreed to a rare trade before this season’s trade deadline.
Per Beyond the Monster’s Chris Henrique, the Red Sox and Yankees discussed a potential trade that would’ve sent outfielder Alex Verdugo to New York in exchange for starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt.
The Yankees and Red Sox have completed only seven trades between the two franchises since 1969 (the beginning of the Divisional era), with the most recent trade coming in May 2023. The Red Sox received minor-league pitcher Diego Hernandez in exchange for outfielder Greg Allen.
Verdugo’s bat would’ve been a welcomed addition to a Yankees lineup that has been unable to score runs consistently throughout the season. He has provided steady production for the Red Sox, currently posting a .274 batting average to go with 13 home runs and 54 runs batted in.
Schmidt would provide the Red Sox with another capable starter to use in their rotation. He currently has a 9-8 record to go with a 4.56 earned run average and 142 strikeouts in 29 starts.
The two franchises have been competing against each other for divisional supremacy for decades and have gotten to know each other quite well over the years. Despite both sides being able to get a close look at the other team’s prospects, they rarely trade with one another.
