Red Sox left‑hander Payton Tolle threw a near‑perfect outing against the Yankees on June 27. The effort gave Boston a bright spot in a struggling season. In doing so the Red Sox snapped a 38‑year run of quality starts against new York, relying on three rookie left‑handed starters.
The Yankees answered with a wave of power hitters in that offseason, but their bats stayed cold in the spots they needed most, leaving the team unable to capitalize on the added talent.