The Red Sox need to make some noise against the Yankees
While barely avoiding a sweep at the hands of the Angels isn't something to celebrate, the Boston Red Sox have to be feeling pretty good about themselves after Wednesday's walk-off win. They need to channel all that good mojo this weekend against the first-place Yankees in New York.
The AL East rivals will square off for the first time this season with a three-game set in the Bronx. The 38-23 Yankees have the third-best record in baseball and look determined to win it all after coming up short last October.
It's the exact opposite of what the Red Sox have looked like this season. Boston is still licking its wounds after going just 11-17 in May and a 2-2 start to June, despite facing some lackluster opposition. Alex Cora's club did not take advantage of an easy part of the schedule and sits at just 30-34 on the year -- 9.5 games back of New York.
If this isn't a make-or-break series for the Red Sox, it's pretty darn close. They're reaching a desperation point, winning just three times in their last 10 games. Over the last 11 games, Boston has by one run five times thanks in large part to the team's lack of fundamentals all over the diamond.
The Yankees, meanwhile, have won three of four, eight of their last 11, and 12 of their last 16 games. They're in the top three in most offensive categories, thanks to an absolute monster season from Aaron Judge so far. The MVP favorite is hitting a ridiculous .392 (the best in MLB) with a 1.250 OPS (also first) with 21 homers (third) and 50 RBI (fifth).
The New York offense isn't just a one-hit wonder though, with solid hitters up and down the lineup. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt is slashing .323/.380/.471 for the season. Centerfielder Trent Grisham is second on the team with 13 homers, while DH Ben Rice has left the yard a dozen times. Cody Bellinger has been solid with nine homers and 10 doubles. Jazz Chisholm returned last series and went 5-for-11 with a homer and two runs scored as the Yankees took two of three from the Guardians.
The Red Sox will send Garrett Crochet to the bump Saturday night, so the team should be competitive for at least one game this series. But Boston really needs a series win, which they've done just twice in their last seven series.
A good series win against the Yankees could push the Red Sox in the right direction at a difficult part of the schedule. After a visit from the Rays next week, the Yankees will be at Fenway Park next weekend. Boston then heads out West for series against the first-place Mariners, first-place Giants, and the Angels team that just took two of three at Fenway Park.
Red Sox-Yankees Pitching Matchups
The Red Sox luck out a bit this weekend, as they'll avoid New York ace Max Fried. The lefty tossed six shutout innings of one-run ball against Cleveland on Thursday, so the Red Sox won't see Fried and his 1.78 ERA.
Here's who will toe the rubber for the two teams over the next three days:
Friday: Walker Buehler (4-3. 4.44 ERA) vs. Will Warren (3-3, 5.19 ERA)
Grisham is batting just .211 in 19 career at-bats against Buehler, but two of his four hits were homers. Chisholm is 3-for-7 in his career against the righty. Judge is 0-for-2 against Buehler with a strikeout.
Saturday: Garrett Crochet (5-4, 1.98 ERA) vs. Ryan Yarbrough (3-0, 2.83 ERA)
No one on the Yankees has more than three career at-bats against Crochet. Bellinger is 2-for-2 against the Boston ace with a homer. Judge is 1-for-2 with a single and a strikeout, while Goldschmidt is 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Rafael Devers has the most at-bats of all Red Sox hitters against Yarbrough, going 6-for-27 (.222) with a double, a homer, and six RBI.
Sunday: Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 4.06 ERA) vs. Carlos Rodon (8-3, 2.49 ERA)
This will be the first time the Yankees see Dobbins, who is coming off five innings of one-run ball against the Angels on Monday night. Dobbins came out of the bullpen that evening after former New York prospect Richard Fitts was roughed up for six runs (five earned) in the first inning.
While Boston avoids Fried this series, they do not avoid Rodon, who has been spectacular for New York. We'll definitely be seeing Rob Refsnyder in the Boston lineup Sunday night, as he's 4-for-12 with two doubles, a homer, and three walks in his career against Rodon.
