Series Preview: Series 25 vs. Red Sox
Photo Via: USA TODAY SportsThe second-place Red Sox host the third-place Yankees for a weekend series in Boston. In their only other series of the season, the Sox swept the Yanks in the Bronx. Now, the Yankees hope to do the same in Boston’s building. Arguably the best three pitchers are going for the Yanks.
Yankees Record: 40-34
Red Sox Record: 44-31
Season Series: 3-0 (Red Sox leading)
Lifetime Record: 1,212-1,000 (Yankees leading)
Game 1
Friday, June 25 — 7:10 pm — YES Network, MLB Network
Probable Pitchers: Domingo Germán - RHP (NYY) vs. Martín Pérez - LHP (BOS)
Game Notes: Domingo Germán’s last two outings were far from spectacular. He got knocked around for 7 runs against the Phillies, then the A’s scored 4 on him last weekend. However, three outings ago, he pitched against these very Red Sox and only allowed 1 run in 5.2 innings. In total, Germán has a 4.17 ERA on the year and a 4-4 record. He has been giving up a lot of home runs at home, so maybe the start in Boston can help get him back on the right track. However, this is no offense you want to face when you are in a slump.
Speaking of slumping, Martín Pérez was doing just that until his last start. He has a 5-4 record and 4.32 ERA on the year, so very similar to Germán. He lasted only 2 innings (6 runs) against Houston and 1.1 innings (5 runs) against Toronto before going 5 innings (1 run) against the Royals last time he pitched. He has not thrown 85 pitches in a game since May 15th, and the Yankees like to run up pitch counts, so it will be interesting to see if the Red Sox let him go because he is rested or take him out since he is not quite built up.
Game 2
Saturday, June 26 — 7:15 pm — FOX
Probable Pitchers: Jordan Montgomery - LHP (NYY) vs. Nathan Eovaldi - RHP (BOS)
Game Notes: Jordan Montgomery has assumed the role of the Yankees’ 2-starter in the absence of Corey Kluber. His season ERA is now 4.03, which is not stellar, but most of that trouble has come in the first inning. With a 5-pitch mix, sometimes it takes Monty a bit to get going and find the strike zone. If the Red Sox do not score in the first frame, then be prepared for a great day at the office for Gumby.
Nathan Eovaldi has 7 wins this season and a 3.90 ERA. He has not been unhittable, but he has been very efficient and exactly what Boston needs. He has been a little inconsistent of late with his latest start only lasting 4 innings against the Royals. The Yankees faced him on June 4th, and he threw 6 innings, striking out 7 and allowing 2 runs (1 earned).
Game 3
Sunday, June 27 — 1:10 pm — YES Network, TBS
Probable Pitchers: Gerrit Cole - RHP (NYY) vs. Eduardo Rodriguez - LHP (BOS)
Game Notes: Surprisingly, the Yankees and Red Sox will not be the late Sunday Night Baseball game. Instead, Gerrit Cole will take the mound at Fenway during the day. Cole has been phenomenal, with a 2.33 ERA and 8-3 record. But the Yankees are not giving him the run support he needs to win more games.
Hopefully that will not be an issue against Eduardo Rodriguez and his 6.07 ERA, but he did hold them to a respectable 3 runs in 5.1 innings earlier this season. E-Rod has an 8.29 ERA in his last 7 starts, so the bats need to handle him Sunday. He will likely be using the same backdoor cutter that the right-handers saw in the Bronx, along with changeups in the dirt with two strikes.
Sluggers to Watch
Gary Sánchez is still the man to watch for the Yankees. In 23 games since May 27, Sánchez is hitting .338 with 8 homers and a 1.153 OPS. In the homestand, he drove baseballs to the opposite field and he parked homers into the upper deck. The Yankees lineup badly needed the old Gary back. He may only get the chance to play the first two games of the series, since Sunday is a day game and a Cole start, but maybe he will get another big time pinch hit again.
Giancarlo Stanton did not have any extra base hits against the Royals, but his overall at bats were much improved. He went 4 for 10 (.400) with 5 walks (.600 OBP) in the three-game series. Over his last 13 games, Stanton is 15 for 44 (.341) with 4 homers and 11 walks to 9 strikeouts. He also has a sacrifice fly and reached on an error twice in that span, so he is putting the ball in play and making things happen. Stanton is a career .415 hitter at Fenway Park with 3 homers in 14 games.
Xander Bogaerts is amazingly tough to game plan against. He hits righties, he hits lefties. He hits at home, he hits on the road. In the series at Yankee Stadium, Bogaerts came through with multiple big hits because he was able to put the ball in play with runners on base. The best way to limit the damage from Xander Bogaerts is to not let runners get on base in front of him, because he seemingly finds a way to get them home one way or another.
J.D. Martinez is CRUSHING the ball at Fenway Park this season. He is hitting .353 with 12 doubles, 6 homers, and a .967 OPS at home. He is doing most of his slugging against right-handed pitching, but he is batting over .300 against each side. The Yankees cannot just lay the ball over the plate and hope for the best against Martinez this weekend.
Injury Report
3B Gio Urshela (leg) missed the last two games after exiting early in the first game against the Royals. The Yankees have not placed him on the injured list and the expectation is that he will be good to go for the Friday night game at Fenway.
RHP Luis Severino strained his groin (grade 2) while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He is now doing sprints and playing light catch and could return in late July or early August.
RHP Clarke Schmidt (elbow strain), RHP Darren O’Day (strained rotator cuff), LHP Justin Wilson (strained hamstring), RHP Corey Kluber (right shoulder strain), and CF Aaron Hicks (wrist surgery - out for season) are all out for the series.
O’Day and Wilson each began rehab assignments at Triple-A Scranton on Tuesday. Since they will each need at least a week to build up to full strength, it is not expected that either returns during the series at Fenway. However, if one was to return, it would likely be O’Day.
Schmidt recently threw all of his pitches in a bullpen session, but has not progressed to a rehab assignment yet. That could occur this week.
Kluber recently threw from 60 feet, but has not progressed to the point of mound work.
The Red Sox have the following players on the 10-day injured list who will not play this series:
INF Christian Arroyo (right knee contusion)
C Kevin Plawecki (strained hamstring)
The Red Sox have the following players on the 60-day injured list who will not play in this series:
LHP Chris Sale (Tommy John surgery)
RHP Ryan Brasier (strained calf)