FORT MYERS, Fla. — It was not a particularly compelling story the last time the Red Sox and Yankees hired new managers in the same season.

That was back in 1992. The Red Sox promoted Triple A manager Butch Hobson to the major league team. They lost 89 games.

The Yankees also stayed within their organization, elevating Buck Showalter from the coaching staff. They lost 86 games.

Last winter, the teams seemed to pick from the same catalog again. Only this time, much more is at stake.

Alex Cora is 42 and played 14 years in the majors as an infielder for six teams, including the Red Sox. He worked for ESPN after retiring and is managing for the first time. His older brother Joey also played in the majors.

Aaron Boone, 44, played 12 years in the majors as an infielder for six teams, including the Yankees. He worked for ESPN after retiring and is managing for the first time. His older brother, Bret, also played in the majors.

Cora is charged with taking a team that won 93 games last season to the World Series. The same is true of Boone, except that the Yankees won 91 games.

Cora and Boone met up as managers for the first time on Saturday when the Yankees beat the Sox, 5-3, before a sellout crowd of 9,548 at JetBlue Park.

There will be 19 games that count during the season and with any kind of luck the first playoff series between the rivals since 2004. But even a consequence-free Grapefruit League game can spark passion.

Cora attended a team function on Friday night and a fan mentioned the “big game’’ coming up the next day.

“I was like, ‘What? Not really.’ But people love it. I think it’s good for baseball,’’ he said. “Everybody feels we’re going to be in the hunt and that’s great.’’

Cora and Boone crossed paths as players then worked together at ESPN from 2013-16.

“He helped me out a lot. He did an outstanding job on TV teaching the game,’’ Cora said.

Cora returned to the field last season as Houston’s bench coach and saw Boone often during the season. When the Yankees fired manager Joe Girardi, Boone was their choice after a lengthy search.

“I’m happy for him. I don’t think he saw that coming,’’ Cora said. “At the World Series, I was working, he was working, and we were talking about pace of play and all of a sudden it happens.’’

Both teams wanted managers who could better communicate with the young talent on the roster. Then they acquired sluggers to boost their rosters, the Yankees trading for Giancarlo Stanton and the Red Sox signing J.D. Martinez.

“I think we’re both looking forward to it,’’ Boone said. “Alex is someone I have a lot of respect for. I think he’s going to be really good at his job. I know he has a really good team.’’

Said Cora: “[Boone] pays attention to detail. He communicates. Great sense of humor. People are going to like him.’’

Boone won Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS for the Yankees with a walkoff home run in the 11th inning against Tim Wakefield and the Red Sox. The Sox have won three championships since and Boone enjoys his trips to Boston.

Wakefield called Saturday’s game for NESN and hugged Boone when he saw him on the field during batting practice. Boone then signed autographs for a few Red Sox fans.

“I’ve been treated well. It’s been a little bit more good-natured now,’’ he said.

As it should be. Ray Boone, Aaron’s grandfather, played one season for the Sox then worked more than three decades as a scout for the team before he died in 2004.

“Growing up, I always knew all the guys that he signed and followed them,’’ Boone said. “I always heard the Red Sox stories.’’

It surely seems incongruous to some fans that Cora and Boone have a genuine friendship. But it won’t detract from the rivalry. Few things do.

“We understand where we’re at and what it means to the baseball world,’’ Cora said. “At the end of the day, after those games, we’re still friends. But during the games we want to beat each other.’’

Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.