Yankees-Red Sox rivalry comes back in big way...big like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton

American League baseball fans saw something Wednesday night that they haven't seen in a while, and speaking as a New York Yankees fan, it felt good. I'm talking the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry; which came back in not one, but two bench-clearing incidents.

Things got testy in the third inning after Tyler Austin's Yankees spikes clipped Brock Holt's Red Sox leg on a controversial slide into second base. Holt took issue with the minimal contact and they exchanged words before being separated and both benches emptying onto the field. 

But it was four innings later, with the Yankees leading 10-6, when Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly shooed Austin from the plate with a retaliatory 97 mph fastball aimed at his knees that things got interesting. Two pitches later Kelly plunked Austin on the elbow. A pissed off Austin slammed his bat on the plate after the intentional throw and took a step towards Kelly.

"Come on," screamed Kelly ... and it was like old rivalry days again.

WATCH: The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees got into a crazy bench-clearing brawl pic.twitter.com/Il4CMtc1DL

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 12, 2018

Austin, after getting in a few wild punches, found himself being protected by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton while Kelly slinked out of the pileup with ripped buttons and scratches on his neck. The two Yankees giants stood above the fray, literally and figuratively, as they sorted out and guided both teams into their respective dugouts ... Judge with a little smile on his face.

“I felt that was a good slide,” Austin said to a disagreeing Holt after they tangled at second base. While they were staring and jawing, out came both teams, including the bullpens with Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle leading the pack. 

Here's Tyler Austin's slide from earlier. Spikes come up a bit, but he hardly made contact with Holt. He slides through the base. His job is to break up the play. He did his job and he didn't hurt anyone. No malintent there.#Yankees #RedSoxpic.twitter.com/E5c6FwqpBe

— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) April 12, 2018

Neither brouhaha was up to the drama of Pedro Martinez shoving Don Zimmer to the ground back in the 2003 ALCS, but it's a reminder of how much these two teams really despise each other.

The funniest part? The look on the Red Sox players faces as they watched Judge and Stanton — all 13' 2" of them — wading through the scrum of the tussling players. Like giants among men.

It seems like decades since such fervor filled Fenway Park. Even the "YANKEES SUCK" chant from the Sox faithful sounded heartfelt last night. And that's a good thing.

Red Sox dump 'offensive,' 'racially insensitive' David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway just hours before game

The Red Sox canceled a David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway at Fenway Park five hours before their game against the Yankees on Tuesday night because the figurines were considered "offensive" and "racially offensive" by the team’s president.

Batting next in the #SoxPromos lineup: The Papi Bobblehead! 💪
Be there this Tuesday: https://t.co/uQuufOJ7ez pic.twitter.com/ayeZvGw9Ym

— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) August 7, 2016

The bobblehead was a likeness of Ortiz holding a microphone, a tribute to the emotional speech he made at Fenway five days after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 where he famously proclaimed, "This is our f-ucking city."

"It was an inaccurate portrayal of David,”  Sam Kennedy said after approving of the giveaways months earlier. “It doesn’t really look like David. Number two, I personally thought it seemed to be an offensive portrayal of him and racially insensitive.

"If I was feeling this way, certainly other people would," Kennedy added. "So we pulled the plug."

Kennedy said the 15,000 bobbleheads would be returned to the manufacturer, BDA Inc., of Woodville, Wash., and a new model shipped out. Now all ticketed fans for Tuesday’s game will receive the new bobbleheads in the mail, not just the first 15,000.

“Everybody will receive one,” Kennedy said.

Ok I can see why they cancelled Ortiz bobblehead night pic.twitter.com/3E9AtWgxOy

— Connor #2019Champs (@connortheOGfam) August 9, 2016

Before the game, Ortiz said he was unaware of the situation.

“That’s supposed to be me?” he said after looking at a photo of the bobblehead with the odd white lips.

Ortiz went on to say he agreed with the team’s decision.

David Ortiz calls Jacoby Ellsbury a 'rich bitch' on national TV (VIDEO)

Besides scouting reports on the opposing team's starting pitchers, David Ortiz might want to meet with the television techies to discuss microphone hot spots the next time he prepares for a game.

Live ESPN mics embedded in Yankee Stadium's second base caught Big Papi calling Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury a "rich bitch" for his ex-teammate's impressive $153-million contract during Sunday night's game.

Ortiz was obviously joking around with Ellsbury, who was his teammate with the Red Sox for eight years. 

Hall and Oates would be proud.

Ichiro robs Ortiz of extra-base hit with amazing catch at the wall (VIDEO)

Yankees right fielder Ichiro Suzuki made an amazing leaping catch at the wall Sunday night, robbing David Ortiz of extra bases.

Even Big Papi had to smile at the phenomenal eighth-inning crash-and-roll which robbed Ortiz of a sure double and helped preserve the Yankees' 3-2 win.