Ambivalence about New York Yankees first game of 2023 against Boston Red Sox after slow starts for both clubs to season

The Boston Red Sox will take on the New York Yankees for the first time this season. Despite the two teams being bitter rivals since 1901, the fanfare surrounding their first meeting seems uncharacteristically muted.

Owing to the new schedule changes enacted this season by the MLB, the number of games that teams play against their divisional rivals has been reduced from over 70 to 52. This means that the New York Yankees will play the Red Sox 13 times this season, spread across four series.

However, the main reason for the dispassioned response from fans on both sides can be decifered by taking a look at the AL East standings. With a record of 37-27, the Yankees are third in the division, while the lacklustre Red Sox' 31-32 record is good enough for last place.

"The Rivalry renews for the first time this season. It's Red Sox vs. Yankees in the Bronx at 7:05 pm ET." - MLB

Despite the high-profile projected pitching matchup of Gerrit Cole against Garrett Whitlock, fans are taking serious issue with the term "rivalry." According to them, the series is not important enough to warrant such a term.

Additionally, the series will mark the second for the New York Yankees since they lost their captain Aaron Judge to injury. The 6-foot-7 outfielder hit the Injured List after suffering a broken toe after robbing Los Angeles Dodgers star JD Martinez of an extra-base hit on June 4. No definite timeline has been given for his return.

Instead of focusing on the game, which kicks off at 7:05 pm from the Bronx, fans seem to be taking stock of another game going on tonight. The Tampa Bay Rays will play host to the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field. With the Rays and Rangers owning the first and second best records in the AL respectively, many think that is where the action will be.

Plenty of time for the New York Yankees to renew their rivalry with the Boston Red Sox

While the 2023 season may not have delivered much notable success for either team, the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry has roots in history, and is unlikely to go anywhere. While the series this weekend may not be the highest-stakes meeting ever, there are bound to be many more instances of these two teams meeting with high stakes on the line, as has been the case for much of the past 120 baseball seasons.