Joba Chamberlain Slams Kevin Youkilis as Player He Disliked Most

This article dives into the long-running bad blood between former New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain and ex-Boston Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis. Their rivalry started with beanballs and brushbacks, carried through multiple seasons of intense Yankees–Red Sox showdowns, and somehow got even more awkward when they became teammates in the Bronx.

Chamberlain recently revealed that Youkilis was the player he disliked most in his 10-year MLB career. The history behind that admission is every bit as fiery as you’d expect.

Joba Chamberlain vs. Kevin Youkilis: A Rivalry Born in the AL East Fire

To really get why Chamberlain felt so much frustration, you have to go back to the height of the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry. Every pitch between the two teams felt like a postseason moment.

Chamberlain burst onto the scene in 2007 as a flame-throwing phenom with a microscopic 0.38 ERA. Youkilis, on the other hand, was one of Boston’s emotional spark plugs and toughest at-bats.

In that cauldron, a personal feud was almost inevitable. What started as a couple of “pitches that got away” quickly turned into a multi-year storyline.

The saga included ejections, suspensions, collisions, and resentment that didn’t fade even when they wore the same uniform.

The 2007 Flashpoint: Two Fastballs Over the Head

The rivalry really caught fire in August 2007, when Chamberlain twice sailed fastballs over Youkilis’ head in the same at-bat. In a Yankees–Red Sox game already loaded with tension, those pitches crossed the line from inside heat to something more personal.

Umpires ejected Chamberlain immediately, then fined and suspended him. The incident instantly became part of the rivalry’s lore.

Chamberlain insisted the pitches slipped, but Red Sox players—and definitely Youkilis—weren’t buying it. The air between them just got thicker after that.

2008: Collisions, Brushbacks, and No Love Lost

The animosity didn’t cool down in 2008. If anything, the next season added more fuel.

In one memorable sequence, Youkilis collided with Chamberlain at home plate. That physical confrontation just underscored how personal things were getting.

Not long after, Chamberlain was back on the mound firing another pitch up near Youkilis’ head. Even in a rivalry where inside pitches are just part of the game, this pattern stood out.

From Boston’s side, the message felt obvious: Youkilis seemed to be a specific target.

Plunkings, Production, and a One-Sided Stat Line

By the time they met again in 2012, the history was set. Every encounter felt like a continuation of an old argument.

The mix of competitive fire, personal pride, and the Yankees–Red Sox stage kept the tension simmering.

And honestly, there was a cold, hard baseball reality underneath it all: Youkilis actually handled Chamberlain pretty well.

2012 Hit-by-Pitch and a Growing Grudge

In 2012, Chamberlain hit Youkilis in the back, adding another chapter to the saga. This wasn’t just a one-off—it came after years of near-misses and high fastballs.

Everyone knew the history. Any pitch that got too close to Youkilis was instantly interpreted through the lens of their feud.

The numbers didn’t lie. Over 23 plate appearances against Chamberlain, Youkilis hit .333 with power, turning many at-bats into exhausting, punishing battles.

For a power reliever who thrived on intimidation, seeing a rival hitter consistently square him up must’ve stung.

From Enemies to Teammates: An Uneasy 2013 Reunion

Baseball loves to turn enemies into coworkers. That’s exactly what happened in 2013 when Kevin Youkilis signed with the Yankees.

On paper, it was a classic Yankees move: bring in a seasoned ex-Red Sox star and see if he could offer some veteran production. In reality, it forced two long-time adversaries into the same clubhouse, with years of hostility suddenly compressed into a shared season.

Chamberlain’s Attempt at Peace Falls Flat

Chamberlain says he tried to extend an olive branch when Youkilis joined the Yankees. In his view, the gesture went nowhere.

According to Chamberlain, Youkilis showed little interest in smoothing things over or building any sort of relationship beyond the bare minimum. The on-field results didn’t help either.

Youkilis’ stint in pinstripes was derailed by a back injury that limited him to 28 games and a disappointing .219 batting average. From Chamberlain’s perspective, the Yankees got the baggage of the rivalry without much payoff on the field.

Lingering Resentment and Legacy of a Feud

Back then, both players mostly tried to defuse the narrative. With microphones in their faces, they downplayed the feud and insisted it was just part of the game.

Still, Chamberlain’s recent comments—naming Youkilis as the player he disliked most in his career—make it obvious the animosity never really faded. It hung around, just under the surface.

The Chamberlain–Youkilis saga really captures that Yankees–Red Sox era. High-velocity fastballs, high-stakes games, and honestly, not much room for half-measures.

It mixed competitive fire with some very real personal friction. Those scars stuck around long after their last pitch and at-bat against each other.

 
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