In his first game against his former team since joining Boston, Sonny Gray delivered 6.1 innings and helped the Red Sox beat the Yankees 5-3 at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.
Sonny Gray walked into Yankee Stadium for the first time as a Red Sox, and he made it count quickly—punctuating every outing with the kind of control that usually defines a pitcher’s best night.
Friday night, Boston edged New York 5-3 with Gray on the mound. The 36-year-old right-hander went 6.1 innings on 79 pitches, 56 of them for strikes, and earned his seventh win of the season. He allowed eight hits, including two home runs, three earned runs, and two walks.
Gray’s trip back to the Bronx carried a heavier backstory. Over the winter, he made no secret about how he felt while playing for New York in 2017 and 2018—saying he didn’t enjoy it and never wanted to go there in the first place.
In December 2025, Gray said, “I’ll tell you what did factor into my decision to come to Boston. … It feels good to me to go to a place now where. you know what. it’s easy to hate the Yankees.” He also said he never wanted to play for New York. adding. “New York just wasn’t a good situation for me. It wasn’t a great setup for me and my family. I never wanted to go there in the first place.”.
When Gray’s comments landed. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman responded by saying Gray told people in New York he did want to play there and win a championship. Cashman said. “That’s when he told me he never wanted to be here. ” describing what Gray expressed to him in 2018. Cashman said Gray’s message included, “He hates New York. ‘This is the worst place.’ He just sits in his hotel room.”.
By the time Gray faced New York in a Red Sox uniform. he stayed measured—neutral in how he assessed returning to the stadium. But he did suggest that the moment still had an edge. “There was definitely some juice. Maybe that’s why my stuff was staying up a little bit. so I’ll learn from it and be able to control my emotions and my energy and be able to just make pitches. ” Gray told reporters postgame. He said it felt good at the time and that he was trying to channel the feeling into better command: “Felt really good. but I feel like my stuff just stayed up. and maybe that was just because I felt really good. It was fun.”.
“I’ve been back here and pitched, but first time with the Red Sox, but I’m just glad we came away with the win,” Gray said.
Gray had faced the Yankees three times since 2018, including once at Yankee Stadium in 2022. In the season so far, he has been one of Boston’s steadying forces. Through 11 starts and 56.1 innings, Gray is 7-1 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.
His role has mattered even more as Boston works through a key rotation challenge: Garrett Crochet has been dealing with throwing-shoulder inflammation. leaving additional pressure for other starters to hold the line. Gray did that on Friday—helping Boston leave the Bronx with the kind of victory that turns personal history into one clear result.
Sonny Gray Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Yankee Stadium MLB pitching Brian Cashman December 2025 comments