BOSTON -- Sixty-seven days have passed since that sunny Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park when the Red Sox and Yankees last locked horns. Rafael Devers belted a homer that just cleared the Green Monster against Yankees ace Max Fried. As Devers trotted around the bases, he had no idea he would be pulled off the team plane a few hours later and traded to the Giants. That day, the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of their rivals to pull to one game over .500 at 37-36, but they were still 6 1/2 games behind the 42-28 Yankees in the American League East and a half-game back in the Wild Card standings. As they at last meet up again -- this time for a four-game series at Yankee Stadium that starts Thursday night -- much has changed aside from the departure of Devers. The two teams are now both chasing the Blue Jays (74-54), who lead the division by four games. |
But the rivals have so much to play for as they get ready to play each other. The Yankees (69-57) lead the Wild Card standings, but ever so slightly over the Red Sox (68-59), who are a half-game up on Seattle (68-60) for the third spot. If the season ends with the Sox and Yankees owning the top two Wild Card positions, they would open the postseason with a best-of-three series against each other. The carrot is that the team that finishes with the better record would host the entire series. Given that both teams have been far better at home this season than on the road, that is no small thing. Here are some key storylines heading into the latest matchup between the rivals. |
Bregman joins the rivalry
When Boston took five out of six from New York on back-to-back weekends in June, Alex Bregman, the club’s key new acquisition, was on the injured list with a severe right quad strain that kept him out for about seven weeks. Bregman’s presence is enormous for the Red Sox, not just on the field, but in the dugout and clubhouse. In very short order, Boston has become his team. And he’s no stranger in heated matchups with the Yankees. Bregman’s Astros upended the Yankees in seven games in the 2017 American League Championship Series. Two years later, Houston again topped New York in a six-game ALCS. And to add additional salt in the wound, the ‘Stros swept the Yankees in the ‘22 ALCS. Though Bregman and all the key Astros were always booed roundly in visits to Yankee Stadium -- especially following the revelation that the ‘17 team stole signs through improper use of technology -- the disdain will be much louder now that he wears the Boston uniform. The Sox come into this series having lost three in a row and eight out of 12. “I’m definitely excited,” said Bregman. “Two really good teams getting after it. And I feel like we can switch [our recent misfortune] with one swing of the bat or, or one pitch or one great play on defense. Yeah, 100 percent it was tough being out early in the year last time we played, and I’m very thankful to be back.” |
State of the aces
When the Yankees agreed with Fried on an eight-year contract via free agency at the Winter Meetings, the Red Sox responded almost immediately by trading four prospects to the White Sox for Garrett Crochet the next day. After that tough-luck 2-0 loss to the Red Sox on June 15, Fried had a 1.89 ERA through 15 starts. However, Fried simply hasn’t been the same since July 1, pitching to a 6.80 ERA through his past eight starts. Though Crochet has had a misstep here or there, he has basically been a rock for Boston, going 13-5 with a 2.43 ERA and punching out 196 over 159 1/3 innings. They will just miss each other this weekend, with Fried taking the ball for the Yankees on Friday and Crochet going for Boston on Saturday. What’s up with Judge and Stanton?
Fearsome sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton always occupy large portions of attention when the Red Sox hold their pre-series scouting meetings. Judge served a 10-day stint on the injured list with a right flexor strain and has so far been limited to DH since his return, which has forced injury-prone Stanton into the outfield. Judge belted three homers in his first 13 games back, but he is still trying to get back to being the near unstoppable force he was earlier in the season. Like Bregman, Stanton was out of action for the first two rivalry series as he bounced back from issues with both elbows. He has quickly made up for lost time, belting 14 homers and posting a 1.005 OPS in his first 45 games back in action. |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
The Red Sox at last filled a need to start this week when they signed free-agent first baseman Nathaniel Lowe just two days after he was released following a tough season with the Nationals. Sometimes a player can get a jolt going from a non-contender to a contender, and Lowe looked that part in his first start for Boston, belting a game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth on Wednesday night against the Orioles. The timing of the Red Sox picking up Lowe could be ideal, as he can spend the next few days taking aim at the short porch in right field in the Bronx. |
While Tuesday was a tough night for the Red Sox, falling in extra innings to the Orioles, 4-3, there was a positive development at Triple-A Worcester, when rehabbing righty Justin Slaten struck out all three batters he faced. Slaten threw 15 pitches, 11 for strikes. Earlier this week, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was non-committal about how many rehab appearances Slaten would need. However, it’s doubtful Slaten will make more than two or three total appearances in the Minors considering how important he is to the team’s bullpen. Slaten and Garrett Whitlock could form a two-headed monster in Boston’s righty setup crew. |
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