Boston Purple Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins got here with preventing phrases.
Forward of his first-ever sport towards the Yankees, the right-handed Dobbins didn’t cover his disdain for the staff within the Bronx.
“If the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire,” Dobbins, 25, informed the Boston Herald earlier than his begin in Sunday night time’s collection finale at Yankee Stadium.
Dobbins hails from Bryan, Texas, and whereas he didn’t develop up rooting for a selected staff, his father was a diehard Purple Sox fan.
The Purple Sox drafted Dobbins within the eighth spherical of the 2021 MLB Draft.
Dobbins’ feedback caught the eye of Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., who on Sunday advocated on social media for extra trash speak in baseball.
“It adds a little bit of fun,” Chisholm later mentioned within the clubhouse of Dobbins’ remarks. “It adds a lot of spiciness. You enjoy it. You’re even more locked in as a fan because you know what’s going on.”
The state of affairs earned fun from Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone, whose first response to Dobbins’ jab was, “He’s young.”
“I don’t think it’s a dig at our players,” Boone mentioned. “It’s an interesting comment, as a player, to make that. I think it’s just a comment of his love of his team.”
Dobbins made his MLB debut in April and entered Sunday with a 2-1 file and a 4.06 ERA over 9 appearances, together with seven begins.
Purple Sox supervisor Alex Cora mentioned he had not spoken to Dobbins concerning the degree of hostility he may anticipate from Yankees followers after his candid salvo.
“I always said that when they put the mic in front of you, you can’t say whatever you want,” Cora mentioned. “It’s going to be hostile anyway, so he just added a little more, I guess.”
Certainly, the Dobbins drama added gasoline to one in every of baseball’s finest rivalries, albeit one which’s turn into milder lately with the Purple Sox lacking the playoffs every of the final 4 seasons. Boston entered Sunday with a 31-35 file and was 9.5 video games behind the division-leading Yankees.
Cora, who performed for six groups throughout his 14 yr MLB profession, mentioned Sunday that he wouldn’t select retirement over enjoying for any of the 30 groups.
Chisholm shared an identical sentiment.
“I don’t think I would ever say that. I feel like that closes doors,” Chisholm mentioned, earlier than including of Dobbins’ diss, “But I like it though. I do like it. I like the competitiveness.”
VOLPE RETURNS
Anthony Volpe was again within the Yankees’ beginning lineup Sunday, two days after a hit-by-pitch to his left elbow compelled him out of Friday’s collection opener.
X-rays and a CT scan got here again unfavourable for Volpe.
The shortstop entered within the eighth inning of Saturday’s sport as a pinch runner and performed an inning on protection however didn’t take an at-bat.
“He didn’t swing at all yesterday, so was hopeful today but not sure,” Boone mentioned earlier than Sunday’s sport. “[Volpe] came in a couple of hours ago, feeling a lot better, got his treatment, and then went down and hit … and felt good.”
INFIELD ADDITION
On Sunday, the Yankees claimed infielder CJ Alexander off of waivers from the Athletics, then optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Alexander, 28, made his MLB debut with the Kansas Metropolis Royals final season and appeared in six MLB video games with the A’s this yr.
The lefty-swinging Alexander is 4-for-25 in his MLB profession. Within the minors, Alexander owns a profession common of .254 with 85 residence runs in 1,919 at-bats.
