Red Sox Rookie Hunter Dobbins Defends Disputed Claims About Father’s Yankees Ties

Red Sox rookie pitcher Hunter Dobbins faced scrutiny after claiming his father, Lance Dobbins, was twice drafted by the New York Yankees before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, a claim that a New York Post investigation found no evidence to support. Official records, including Yankees databases and Baseball-Reference.com, do not list Lance Dobbins as having any affiliation with the Yankees, only confirming his two seasons in the Diamondbacks organization. Hunter Dobbins explained that his statements were based on personal experiences and stories from his father, whom he has not deeply fact-checked, emphasizing that the narrative grew from his love of the game rather than an intent to deceive. Despite the controversy, Dobbins maintains a respectful rivalry stance, expressing no hard feelings and focusing on upcoming games against the Yankees. He acknowledged the story's impact but prefers to concentrate on his pitching, mentioning limited discussions with his father about the discrepancies. The situation highlights the intersection of personal family lore and public sports records within a heated baseball rivalry context.