Red Sox and Yankees: Rare Trading Partners, Despite Historic Rivalry
Despite being the fiercest rivals in baseball, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have rarely traded with one another. Since the American and National Leagues split into divisions in 1969—56 years ago—the two teams have only completed nine player-for-player trades.
The most recent transaction saw Boston send its No. 13 prospect, right-handed pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, to New York in exchange for backup catcher Carlos Narvaez. Rodriguez-Cruz is now ranked as the Yankees’ No. 6 prospect, while Narvaez has taken over starting duties behind the plate in Boston, where he’s hitting .289 with an .821 OPS and five home runs in 42 games.
This deal appears mutually beneficial—unlike the infamous 1972 trade in which the Yankees effectively stole left-handed reliever Albert “Sparky” Lyle from the Red Sox in exchange for journeyman first baseman Danny Cater and a player to be named later.
That trade was heavily lopsided. Cater posted a mediocre .262 average with 14 home runs and 83 RBIs over three seasons in Boston. Lyle, however, became a dominant bullpen force in New York, never starting a game in his 16-year career. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 1977—becoming the first full-time reliever in the league to do so—and helped lead the Yankees to three straight World Series appearances from 1976 to 1978, winning the last two.
A Potential Blockbuster Deal on the Horizon?
Baseball writer Sara Molnick of Pinstripes Nation recently floated a jaw-dropping trade proposal that would dwarf any prior deal between the Yankees and Red Sox—and could reshape both rosters.
The trade would address key weaknesses for both clubs. New York has struggled to find stability at third base, while Boston has a major hole at first base following Triston Casas’ season-ending knee injury on May 2.
Proposed Trade:
- Yankees receive:
- 3B Rafael Devers, 28
- Career: .281 AVG, 138 HR
- 2025: .286/.365/.526, 10 HR, 31 RBI, .891 OPS
- Contract: 10 years, $313.5M (through 2033)
- Fit: A power-hitting cornerstone at third, and a left-handed complement to Aaron Judge
- 3B Rafael Devers, 28
- Red Sox receive:
- OF Spencer Jones
- 23 years old, Yankees’ No. 2 prospect, Top-40 in MLB
- 2025 AAA stats: .298 AVG, .506 SLG, 10 HR
- Profile: Towering power hitter, often compared to Aaron Judge
- RHP Chase Hampton
- 22 years old, Yankees’ No. 3 pitching prospect, Top-100 MLB
- 2025 AA stats: 3.12 ERA, 11.8 K/9, 2.4 BB/9
- Projection: Mid-rotation starter; currently sidelined for 2025 after Tommy John surgery
- INF Oswald Peraza
- MLB-ready at 24
- Elite defense and positional versatility, though his bat remains inconsistent (.233 AVG, .375 SLG)
- 1B Paul Goldschmidt
- 37 years old, on an expiring deal
- 2025 stats: .281 AVG, 6 HR, .819 OPS
- Role: Stopgap first baseman or potential trade chip at the deadline
- OF Spencer Jones
Why Boston Might Consider It
Trading away their franchise third baseman might seem shocking, but Devers has reportedly refused to move off designated hitter, which has frustrated some within the organization. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have shown signs of financial restraint and are closely watching the progress of infield prospect Kristian Campbell. Offloading Devers’ massive contract and acquiring several promising young players could appeal to Boston’s long-term vision.
Why the Yankees Would Do It
New York would be giving up two of its top prospects and shedding Goldschmidt’s $12.5 million salary. But in return, they’d acquire one of the league’s hottest hitters—Devers boasts a .932 OPS this season (10th in MLB) and an eye-popping 1.114 OPS in May, comparable to Aaron Judge’s 1.156. It’s a high-cost, high-reward move that could solidify their infield and lineup.
Would It Actually Happen?
As bold as the idea is, the odds of it coming to fruition are extremely slim. Still, it would mark the most significant Red Sox-Yankees trade ever—surpassing even the 1947 near-deal that would have swapped legends Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio.
That historic trade was allegedly agreed upon over drinks at Toots Shor’s, a Manhattan hotspot of the era. But when Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey demanded Yankees catcher Yogi Berra be included in the deal, New York’s Dan Topping refused, and the blockbuster never happened.
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