Red Sox’ Hunter Dobbins responds to New York Post report: ‘I don’t go and factcheck my dad’

It’s been a while since Red Sox and Yankees games have had a little bit of juice. Who would have thought that Red Sox pitcher Hunter Dobbins would be at the center of some bulletin board material heading into another weekend series with the Yankees?

Prior to Dobbins' first career start at Yankee Stadium last weekend, the Sox rookie told the Boston Herald that his father Lance Dobbins was drafted by the Bronx Bombers twice and traded to the Diamondbacks. He also said that his dad was “really good friends” with former Yankees southpaw Andy Pettitte.

It turns out that Dobbins made have been off base regarding his father’s baseball career. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman ran a story on Tuesday night alleging that Dobbins made “false claims” about his dad’s tenure with the Yankees.

“Dobbins’ father, Lance, does not come up as a Yankees draft pick in any search of the team’s selections on Baseball Reference from any single season,” Sherman wrote. “Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who has been with the organization since 1986, has no recollection of the Yankees drafting Lance Dobbins and said a check with the Yankees amateur department revealed no drafting of a Lance Dobbins.”

Pettitte told the Post he did not know Lance Dobbins.

Dobbins faced the music and was asked by reporters at Fenway Park about the New York Post’s report.

“The whole backstory, it’s something that I had heard growing up and seeing pictures of from my dad,” Dobbins said. “So at the end of the day, it’s just from my dad and what I kind of grew my love for the game (from). At the end of the day, I don’t go and factcheck my dad or anything like that.”

He stated that he is unfazed by Sherman's report.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Dobbins said. “I love working with the media and everybody here. Everybody’s been great. So my focus is performing for the guys here in the locker room, for the fans of Boston, even y’all. Something that’s a few hours away doesn’t faze me.”

According to Baseball Reference, nobody named Lance Dobbins has ever played for a major league club or an affiliated minor league team. The website only has a record of (Lance) Dobbins playing two years of Independent ball from 1996-97, pitching in 29 games for the Meridian Brakemen in the Big South League and for the Ohio Valley Redcoats in the Frontier League.

The recent story where Dobbins referenced his father’s playing career is not new. In his player bios for college and professional ball reference his claims regarding his father. A story ran last summer in the Worcester Telegram abut Dobbins' time with the WooSox and he referenced his dad being drafted by New York twice.

Dobbins also responded to the Herald’s story where he was quoted as saying he’d “retire” if the Yankees were the last time to give him a contract.

“My feelings on all that, they are based off my own personal experiences and nothing to do with growing up or family,” Dobbins said. “And also, it’s a rivalry. So we were just having some fun. Jazz (Chisholm Jr.) got into it, too. We had a good time about it.”

Chisholm Jr. tweeted before Dobbins start against the Yankees that “I think there should be more trash talk in baseball!!! Anyone agrees!? Anyway free smoke at 7.”

The Sox’ rookie allowed three runs in five innings earning his third win of the season. 

“This is a great rivalry,” he said. “It’s two cities that have a long history together. So anything that’s kind of in the news ... is going to turn into a story. It just adds to the game and we have to embrace it and keep rolling.”

Dobbins mentioned that he had a brief conversation with his father after learning about the Post's story. He is expected to start on Saturday when the Red Sox host the Yankees at Fenway Park. 

“My whole focus is on Saturday and getting ready to face the Yankees,” Dobbins said. “This is my first time in the big leagues facing a team the second time let alone back-to-back. So that’s where my focus is 100%. I’d imagine we’ll talk in the future or something like that. But it’s been a bigger deal than it really needed to be. At the end of the day, I just need to be ready to go for Saturday.”

RED SOX INJURY UPDATES

Kutter Crawford is still dealing with wrist pain, and his next bullpen session has been delayed.

“Didn’t feel great,” Alex Cora said Wednesday. “So he’s not throwing the bullpen. He’s just playing catch.”

The 29-year-old has been on the injured list all season with right patellar tendinopathy. He began to feel pain in his wrist earlier this month before he was set to begin a rehab assignment. The Red Sox sent the righty to Boston to be examined, and his test showed no structural damage.

Crawford has been back in Fort Myers, hoping to be back on the mound and throw his bullpen session. The media asked Cora if Crawford’s wrist pain is becoming a bigger concern for the team than initially expected.

“We’ll know in the upcoming days,” Cora said.

Crawford’s knee issue dates back to last season when he hurt it while covering first base in his third start of the year. He was still able to make 30 starts, leading the team in innings with 183 2/3 while posting a 4.36 ERA.

OTHER SOX INJURIES

- Righty relievers Since going on the injured list, Liam Hendriks (right hip inflammation) and Justin Slaten (right shoulder inflammation) have not started any baseball activities. Hendriks has been having symptoms similar to a sports hernia injury. Slaten is still a ways from returning to the Red Sox bullpen, which may have prompted them to swing the trade for hard-throwing righty Jorge Acalá. This season, Slaten has recorded a 3.47 ERA with 16 strikeouts and seven walks over 23 1/3 innings. He was just starting to get hot before his shoulder started barking. Slaten hasn't allowed a run in his last 10 appearances.

- Lefty Chris Murphy pitched for the WooSox on Wednesday night. He threw three innings, allowing a run on three hits, walking one, and striking out two. Murphy is on an injury rehab outing and was recently transferred from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester.

- Tanner Houck (right flexor pronator strain) will throw an up-and-down at the end of the week.

- Alex Bregman (right quad strain) is undergoing scheduled testing on Wednesday, Cora said. “So I’ll have more after the game,” Cora added.

- Reliever Nick Burdi (right foot contusion) likely will go on a rehab assignment “towards the end of the week,” Cora said.

- Masataka Yoshida told WEEI.com that his throwing progression has increased to 105 feet, and he is starting to turn a corner. He feels he will be ready to go on a minor league rehab assignment by late June or early July.

- Wilyer Abreu is expected to return to the Red Sox when the club heads on the road to play San Francisco beginning on June 20. He has been on the shelf with a left oblique strain.