If you’ve spent any time in a Boston sports bar over the last few years, you’ve heard the theory. It’s the one where Aaron Judge—the towering, pinstriped heart of the New York Yankees—almost traded the Bronx for the North End.
It sounds like fan fiction. Or a nightmare.
Honestly, the idea of Judge wearing a Red Sox jersey is basically sacrilege to both fanbases, yet during that wild 2022 free-agency cycle, the rumors weren't just background noise. They were everywhere. People were genuinely convinced that the "Judge’s Chambers" might relocate to Fenway Park.
The Free Agency "Tease" That Froze New England
Let's go back to September 2022. Judge was in the middle of a historic 62-homer season. He was also a few months away from being a free agent after turning down a $213.5 million extension from New York.
Reporters asked him point-blank: Would you ever consider playing for the Red Sox?
Judge didn't say no. He didn't even give a generic "I love New York" answer. Instead, he smiled and said, “Ooh. We’ll talk about that at the end of the year.” He then went on a bit of a charm offensive, calling Red Sox fans some of the best in baseball and praising the atmosphere at Fenway.
Social media exploded.
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Was he serious? Probably not. Most experts, looking back, see it as the ultimate leverage play. You want the Yankees to pay up? Mention their biggest rival. It’s a move straight out of the Bernie Williams playbook from 1998.
But for a few weeks, the "Aaron Judge Red Sox" connection felt real enough to make Yankees fans sweat. Buster Olney even theorized it would take just one "aggressive owner" to flip the script. The Red Sox, who were dealing with their own PR mess after trading Mookie Betts and struggling to sign Xander Bogaerts, suddenly looked like a team that needed a "whopper offer" to save their reputation.
Why the Red Sox Marriage Was Never Going to Happen
Despite the headlines, the logistics were always messy. For starters, Judge wears number 99. At the time, Alex Verdugo had that number in Boston. Verdugo eventually ended up a Yankee, which is its own kind of weird, but back then, even the jersey numbers didn't align.
More importantly, the Red Sox were moving toward a "sustainability" model under Chaim Bloom. Dropping $360 million on a 30-year-old outfielder—no matter how many balls he hits into the Charles River—didn't fit the vibe.
There was also the Rafael Devers situation.
Boston was already under fire for letting stars walk. If they had signed Judge while letting Bogaerts go (which they did) and potentially losing Devers, the Fenway faithful might have actually rioted. You can't buy the neighbor's Ferrari when you haven't paid your own mortgage.
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The "Red Sox Killer" Stats
If you can’t join 'em, beat 'em. And man, has Judge beaten them.
Judge has turned Fenway Park into his personal batting cage. By June 2025, he had already smashed 31 career regular-season home runs against the Red Sox. To put that in perspective, he reached the 30-homer mark against Boston in just 107 games.
Only Babe Ruth did it faster.
Think about that. In the entire century-plus history of this rivalry, only the Great Bambino was a more efficient Red Sox killer than Aaron Judge. Even legendary names like Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, and Alex Rodriguez took longer to reach that milestone.
He treats the Green Monster like a target. It’s not just the power, either. In the 2025 season, Judge was flirting with a .400 batting average well into June, leading the league in almost every meaningful category while specifically terrorizing Boston’s pitching staff.
Career Production vs. Boston (Regular Season & Playoffs)
- Games Played: ~125
- Home Runs: 36
- RBIs: 76
- The "Fenway Factor": 12+ career dingers in Boston alone.
Respect Amidst the Hatred
What’s wild about the Judge-Red Sox dynamic is that it isn’t all vitriol. In April 2025, Judge actually stepped in to defend Red Sox star Jarren Duran.
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Duran had been the target of some truly disgusting heckling in Cleveland regarding his mental health struggles. Despite being the captain of the "Evil Empire," Judge didn't stay quiet. He went on the record saying there’s no place for that in the game, essentially putting the rivalry on ice to have a rival's back.
It showed a level of class that—kinda annoyingly for Red Sox fans—makes it hard to truly hate the guy. You want to boo him because he hits 450-foot nukes against your team, but then he goes and does something like that.
What’s Next for the Rivalry?
Judge is under contract in the Bronx through 2031. He’s going to be a Yankee for life. The "Aaron Judge Red Sox" rumors of 2022 are now just a funny footnote in a long history of "what ifs."
But the tension isn't gone. In June 2025, Red Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins made headlines saying he’d "rather retire" than ever play for the Yankees. Judge, ever the historian, pointed out he’d only ever heard Ken Griffey Jr. say something that bold. Then, naturally, Judge went out and hit two home runs off the kid.
If you're looking to follow this saga as it evolves, keep an eye on these specific things:
- The HR Race: Watch if Judge can surpass Ruth’s total of 714; he’s currently sitting at 368 as of early 2026 and showing no signs of slowing down.
- The Next Generation: Keep tabs on how young Boston pitchers like Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz (slated for a 2027 arrival) handle Judge.
- Inter-Rivalry Moves: With guys like Alex Verdugo and Carlos Narváez recently swapping sides, the "unthinkable" jump Judge teased in 2022 is becoming more common for role players, even if the superstars stay put.
The reality is simple: Aaron Judge was never going to be a member of the Red Sox. He's the definitive Yankee of this era. But by using Boston as a bargaining chip and then absolutely demolishing their pitching for a decade, he’s carved out a permanent, if painful, place in New England sports history.
Next Steps for Fans:
Check the 2026 MLB schedule for the next Yankees-Red Sox series at Fenway. Tickets usually spike when Judge is chasing a milestone, so booking early is basically a requirement if you want to see the modern-day Babe Ruth in person.