The Boston Red Sox had the upper hand on the New York Yankees from October 2004 through September 2025. Despite splitting or losing the vast majority of season series during that time gap, Boston won every playoff matchup post-2003 ALCS, capturing four World Series to emphatically break the curse and outclass the Yankees’ singular championship, post-reversal. The reality of the situation is that Red Sox fans (and players) had every right to talk … until now. Until the past week.

The Yankees and Cam Schlittler eliminated the Red Sox in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series after Alex Cora burned through his entire bullpen in a tight-as-hell Game 2. That means the Yankees finally chipped away at Boston’s postseason pedigree for the first time in two decades. That means Red Sox fans can’t diminish the Yankees’ level of competition this October, considering the competition was literally them. They lost. It’s over. No matter what happens from this point forward, Boston’s not going forward.

That point was lost on the Sox roster. With the Yankees apparently in the process of being run over by the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the ALDS, Bello took to his Instagram story to giggle the night away, choosing to side with a different American League East rival. Little did he know that the tables were about to turn, Aaron Judge was about to stave off elimination, and his post was about to look extremely goofy — especially for a fella who should know all about regular-season success turning to postseason ineffectiveness.

Bello owned the Yankees all season — all career, in fact. In the playoffs? He couldn’t finish the third frame, barreled up harder than a position player trying out the eephus.

Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello posts immature Instagram story while thinking Yankees were about to be eliminated

Yeah, it’s funny, I actually posted the exact same thing when your manager stupidly pulled you at under 30 pitches and swung the whole Wild Card series. Brothers!

Between the Red Sox somehow getting mileage out of the possibility of the Yankees joining them on the couch (congrats for losing), and the city of Beantown roasting Schlittler’s mom so hard he decided to terminate them, we may be reaching a modern rivalry apex. For now, the Yankees are back on the safe side of the discourse.