Red Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins speaks out after false claims about dad's Yankees ties exposed
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free
Hunter Dobbins directed the blame squarely at his father.
The rookie Red Sox pitcher on Wednesday responded to The Post's bombshell that uncovered discrepancies in his story about his father's history with the Yankees.
'The whole back story, it was stuff that I had heard growing up and seen pictures of, from my dad,' Dobbins said before the Red Sox-Rays game at Fenway Park. 'At the end of the day, it's just from my dad and what I kind of grew my love for the game. At the end of the day, I don't go fact-check my dad or anything like that.'
Dobbins made headlines when he told the Boston Herald that he'd retire before ever playing for the Yankees, explaining that his father, Lance, was twice drafted by the Bombers, signed after the second selection and was subsequently traded to the Diamondbacks.
But The Post's Joel Sherman reported that Lance Dobbins does not appear as a Yankees draft pick for any season on Baseball Reference and that Yankees GM Brian Cashman — who has been with the organization since 1986 — has no recollection of the Yankees ever drafting a Lance Dobbins.
3 Hunter Dobbins speaks to the media on Wednesday.
X / @WEEI
Cashman also told Sherman that the Yankees amateur department checked their records and could not find anything about drafting a Lance Dobbins.
Even further, Joe Garagiola Jr. and Buck Showalter, who were with the Diamondbacks in 1996-97, told Sherman they had no recollection of a Lance Dobbins.
MLB itself could not find a Lance Dobbins having played at any level with any of the league's 30 teams.
Has Dobbins spoken with his father to straighten out what really happened?
'A little bit, not really,' Dobbins said. 'My whole focus is on Saturday, getting ready to face the Yankees. This is my first time in the big leagues facing a team a second time, let alone back-to-back. So that's where my focus is, 100 percent. I imagine we'll talk in the future or something like that. It's been a bigger deal than it really needed to be.'
Dobbins, in the Boston Herald story, also said his dad and Yankees great Andy Pettitte were 'really good friends.'
But Pettitte told Sherman that neither he nor anyone he asked in his family remembers a Lance Dobbins.
3 Hunter Dobbins directed the blame at his father regarding the discrepancies in his story about his family's history with the Yankees.
AP
When asked specifically about The Post's story, Dobbins tried to downplay its impact.
'Doesn't faze me,' he said. 'Doesn't bother me. I love working with the media and everybody here. Everybody's been great. My focus is performing for the guys here in the locker room, for the fans in Boston. Something that's a few hours away doesn't faze me.'
Dobbins said he was not surprised at how much his comments blew up.
3 Hunter Dobbins pitches during the Red Sox-Yankees game on June 8, 2025.
Getty Images
He pitched five innings, gave up three runs and earned a win — the first of his career — in an 11-7 Red Sox win over the Yankees on Sunday.
He is expected to start on Saturday when the Red Sox host the Yankees at Fenway Park.
'This is a great rivalry, two cities that have a long history together,' Dobbins said. 'Anything that's in the news that goes with both of them is gonna turn into a story. It just adds to the game, we just have to embrace it and keep rolling.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Yankees expect Aaron Judge activated from IL early next week
The Yankees avoided the worst-possible news on Aaron Judge's right elbow last week, and it now appears the superstar slugger may only face the minimum amount of time on the injured list. Before their road series opener against the Marlins on Friday, manager Aaron Boone told reporters the plan is for Judge to get live at-bats in Tampa on Sunday, in anticipation of him being activated on Tuesday or Wednesday against the Rangers. While the Yankees' captain isn't scheduled to begin a throwing program for another week-plus, his flexor tendon strain didn't preclude him from taking on-field batting practice with teammates on Friday. Judge received a PRP injection earlier this week to expedite the healing process. If all goes well with the bat this weekend, the reigning AL MVP will return as the Yankees' designated hitter. His temporary absence from the field will consequently mean some defensive work for Giancarlo Stanton. The second half of July wasn't kind to Judge. Since the All-Star break, he's slashed an uncharacteristic .160/.267/.400 with two home runs, four RBI, and 11 strikeouts (25 at-bats).
Fox Sports
34 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB Trade Deadline: 10 Impact Moves That Affect The Stretch Run
The Padres shook the industry, the Astros reunited with a franchise icon, and in New York, New York, the relief market was ultra competitive. But which were the trades that could provide a jolt in the second half as hopeful contenders prepare for pennant races? Here are the 10 most impactful moves for the stretch run: 10. 1B Ryan O'Hearn, OF Ramon Laureano: Baltimore Orioles to San Diego Padres The headline-grabbing move in a bustling trade deadline day for the Padres was the addition of Mason Miller, but addressing some of their biggest question marks at DH and left field was a huge success for San Diego. A.J. Preller landed Laureano, who's enjoying the best season of his career, and O'Hearn, a pure rental piece, from the Orioles for six prospects, which was just one of his five deals that involved a total of 22 players ahead of the deadline. While O'Hearn can slot in at both DH and first base, Laureano figures to be the Padres' everyday left fielder now and in 2026, when he has a team-friendly $6.5 million club option. Both O'Hearn and Laureano provide necessary upgrades in San Diego's lineup. 9. 3B Ryan McMahon: Colorado Rockies to New York Yankees Any concern about McMahon's ugly road numbers is already a distant memory. It turns out plucking a player from the hopelessly uncompetitive environment of Colorado and putting him in pinstripes in a pennant race in the Bronx can bring out the best in McMahon. He already notched his first walk-off since being traded to the Yankees, and even though it's a small sample size, he's hitting .400 with a 1.020 OPS, four walks and four RBI in 25 plate appearances with New York. The Yankees primarily added McMahon for his excellent defense at the hot corner, but his presence at the plate has been a welcome addition to their lineup depth. 8. RHP Shane Bieber: Cleveland Guardians to Toronto Blue Jays This was the best under-the-radar deal of the trade deadline. It's a risky move that could pay off in a huge way for a Blue Jays rotation that needed an ace to take Game 1 in the postseason. The risk is that Bieber hasn't pitched since April 2024, before he underwent Tommy John surgery, and he suffered a setback after a June rehab outing. But Bieber's ceiling is Cy-Young level dominance, and if he can return to that light-out version of himself, then Toronto's starting pitching staff is set for October. 7. 1B Josh Naylor: Arizona Diamondbacks to Seattle Mariners This move might not get the attention it deserves after Seattle's blockbuster deal for Eugenio Suarez, but this was a significant and necessary upgrade for the Mariners that addressed their corner infield in a splashy way. Naylor's 120 OPS+ brings consistent production to a strong lineup that has surprisingly maintained its position as a top five offense in baseball. Plus, Naylor is feisty! That edgy attitude makes a difference in October (who can forget the slugger calling Gerrit Cole his daddy?!). This was an excellent deal in multiple ways for the M's. 6. Closer Ryan Helsley: St. Louis Cardinals to New York Mets While I knew the Mets aimed to bolster their bullpen before the deadline, the aggressiveness David Stearns showed surprised me. It looked like the Mets did enough with their acquisition of right-handed submariner Tyler Rogers (1.80 ERA) from the Giants. But then came the eyebrow-raising deal for Helsley. Though this bullpen isn't Padres-level scary (more on that later), the Mets now have a formidable pair of arms behind closer Edwin Diaz and a dynamic relief unit that should befuddle opposing hitters. 5. 3B Carlos Correa: Minnesota Twins to Houston Astros Though I'm skeptical that this was actually the best, most impactful roster decision for the Astros, particularly considering Correa's injury history and because he's not having a good year, reuniting with their championship winner offers a nostalgic bonus and excitement within the clubhouse. No matter how you slice it, this was a special, meaningful deal. It can mean even more if Correa taps into his performance from last year (.905 OPS in 86 games) down the stretch for the first-place Astros. 4. Closer David Bednar: Pittsburgh Pirates to New York Yankees Brian Cashman was not going to walk away from this year's trade deadline without landing a high-leverage reliever, and not only did he finally find his man in Bednar, but he was able to pull off a deal for San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval, too. But Bednar, who required a high prospect price and wasn't easy to wrangle away from Pittsburgh, is the Yankees' biggest acquisition of the summer. He bolsters a bullpen that's led by Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, and now the Bronx Bombers, with a healthy Aaron Judge, have no excuse not to win in October. 3. Closer Mason Miller: Athletics to San Diego Padres Hats off to A.J. Preller for yet another stunning trade deadline. When he traded for Miller, many industry analysts expected Padres closer Robert Suarez to be moved. Instead, San Diego will combine Miller with Suarez to create the best 1-2 punch in baseball at the backend of a bullpen. According to Statcast, Miller has thrown the second-most pitches at or above 100 mph (Jhoan Duran is first) in the major leagues. Pairing him with Suarez, who leads the majors with 30 saves, and the rest of the Padres' terrifying relief corps, will be a nightmare for hitters. Now add that bullpen to the rest of their improved roster and San Diego looks primed for a deep playoff run. 2. Closer Jhoan Durán: Minnesota Twins to Philadelphia Phillies The best available reliever went to the team that most desperately needed a closer. We love to see it. The Phillies, for years, have needed a trade-deadline acquisition like Duran, so kudos to Dave Domebrowski for finally pulling it off in a year that the Phillies are facing a ton of pressure to win. Duran has a 2.01 ERA this season, and he's converted 74 saves in 83 chances spanning across the past four seasons. And, as a bonus, he's only 27 years old and is under team control through the 2027 season. The flamethrower was undoubtedly the Phillies' missing piece. 1. 3B Eugenio Suárez: Arizona Diamondbacks to Seattle Mariners Man, am I excited to see what Suarez and Cal Raleigh can do together. Suarez joins Seattle with 36 home runs, while Raleigh already has 42 (the most in MLB). So there's no doubt that the Mariners slugging catcher will eclipse 50 homers, and Suarez looks primed to get there, too. They have the chance to become the first duo of hitters to each record 50 homers in a single season since 1961 (Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris for the Yankees). On top of that, the Mariners were such big winners at the deadline that they could win the AL West for the first time since 2001. Buckle up for an electric stretch run. Honorable mentions: Camilo Doval, RHP reliever, New York Yankees Tyler Rogers, RHP reliever, New York Mets Griffin Jax, RHP reliever, Tampa Bay Rays Harrison Bader, OF, Philadelphia Phillies Merrill Kelly, RHP, Texas Rangers Cedric Mullins, OF, New York Mets Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar . recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Yankees release Marcus Stroman to make room for trade deadline acquisitions
Marcus Stroman's time in the Bronx has come to an end. The Yankees announced on Friday afternoon that they have released the right-hander to help make room for their recent trade deadline acquisitions. Stroman's exit was ultimately due to a lack of market interest, as ESPN's Buster Olney reported that the Yankees floated the veteran starter in trade conversations with teams before Thursday's deadline. There just weren't any bites. Stroman signed with the Yanks last offseason on a two-year, $37 million deal with a conditional player option that could've kicked in with 140.0 innings pitched this season. The right-hander had a bit of an up-and-down first year with the club, pitching to a 4.31 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, and he ended up being left off the Yankees' 26-man ALDS roster. He was added back on for the ALCS and World Series, but didn't make an appearance. Stroman missed time at the beginning of this season with left knee inflammation, and he hadn't quite been able to find his footing since making his return from the IL. He allowed four earned runs on six hits over five innings of work in his last outing Thursday against the Rays, bringing his ERA to 6.23 for the year. Luis Gil will rejoin the Yanks rotation this weekend so it was between Stroman, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler for the final two spots, and the team has decided to move forward with their young arms in the mix. Stroman finishes his time with the Yankees with a 4.69 ERA over 39 appearances. David Bednar, Jake Bird, Camilo Doval, and José Caballero have all been added to the active roster.
