Hunter Dobbins threw a fresh grenade into the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry before he even let go of his first pitch.
The rookie right-hander playing for the favorite team of his childhood said ahead of his first start as a visitor in The Bronx on Sunday night that he would “retire” before playing for the Yankees — a comment that caught the attention of Yankees resident trash-talker Jazz Chisholm Jr.
“I just said, ‘We’re going to kick ass tonight,’ ” Chisholm said of the pregame message that he shared with teammates.
Dobbins, 25, inherited his Red Sox fandom from his father, and told the Boston Herald that this first trip of the season to Yankee Stadium “is one that I’ve had circled for a long time.”
“I’ve said it before, that if the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I’d retire,” he added.
You can imagine the reaction of Dobbins’ agent, who certainly knows that if his client pitches well enough early in his career to one day become a sought-after free agent, then it’s good business to engage the Yankees in a bidding war.
The reaction of Yankees fans to Dobbins’ (2-1, 4.06 ERA) pregame introduction was surprisingly tame — perhaps an indication that his words hadn’t yet reached the masses.
After 11 years in the rivalry as a player and coach, Red Sox manager Alex Cora expected Dobbins might face some vitriol.
Cora also let it be known “on the record” that he would have played for any team to keep his career going before retirement.
“I’ve always said that when they put the mic in front of you, you can say whatever you want,” Cora said. “It’s going to be hostile anyway. He just added a little bit more, I guess.”
Chisholm and Yankees manager Aaron Boone both thought of the amount of trash-talking that they’ve noticed in recent weeks during the NCAA baseball tournament when reflecting on Dobbins’ remarks.
“I don’t think I would ever say [what he said]. I feel like that closes doors,” said Chisholm, who has become a fan favorite since he was acquired from the Marlins last season. “I like it, though. I like the competitiveness.”
Dobbins told the Herald that his father, Lance, befriended Andy Pettitte during his own minor league career.
The younger Dobbins was hoping to hit a career high on the radar gun Sunday — a sign of how much energy was going to be running through his veins in the first inning.
“It adds a lot of spiciness,” Chisholm said. “You enjoy it. You are more locked in as a fan because you know what’s going on. I think it’s fun, at least.”
Boone was nearly at a loss for words when reacting to Dobbins’ anti-Yankees stance.
“He’s young. We’ll leave it at that,” Boone laughed. “I don’t think it’s a dig at our players. It’s an interesting comment as a player to make that, but I think it’s a comment of his love of his team.”
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe grew up in New Jersey in the exact opposite situation — as a lifelong fan of the pinstripes.
Asked if the fan or player in him thought that was disrespectful, Volpe declined comment.
But the former top prospect must have thought at one point in his life about what it might be like to be drafted by the Red Sox instead of the Yankees, right?
“Be where your feet are,” Volpe said.
Chisholm is no stranger to the villain role.
He became Public Enemy No. 1 for Royals fans — booed relentlessly — during a playoff series last October when he said Kansas City “got lucky” to win Game 2 of the series.
He called Maikel Garcia a “sore loser” for trying to “injure Volpe” with a hard slide.
The Yankees return to Kansas City for the first time since then on Tuesday.
“I love that,” Chisholm said. “That’s the spiciness you need.”
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