The Boston Red Sox (73-72, 66-79 RL, 74-65-7 O/U) are set to face off against the New York Yankees (83-62, 76-70 RL, 79-61-5 O/U) in a pivotal four-game divisional series beginning Thursday evening. The Red Sox will send Cooper Criswell to the mound, while the Yankees will counter with Nestor Cortes. Currently, Boston holds a narrow lead in the season series, 5-4.
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Boston’s Road Challenge Begins
Cooper Criswell takes the mound for the Red Sox, coming off a strong performance against the White Sox where he allowed only two runs over five innings. This month, he has limited opponents to just two runs over ten innings, showcasing his versatility as both a starter and reliever. His season stats include a 4.11 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and a 6-4 record in 92 innings. Against the Yankees this season, Criswell has faced them once, giving up three runs in five innings.
The Red Sox remain in the wildcard hunt, currently four games back. They have managed to win two of their last four series, including a sweep against the Mets and a recent series win over the White Sox. They also secured two victories in three home games against the Orioles, despite a 5-3 loss on Tuesday. Notably, the Red Sox have performed well on the road, holding a seven-game advantage above .500.
Wilyer Abreu has experienced a dip in performance lately, posting a .589 OPS this month. However, the 31-year-old has delivered a solid season overall with 15 home runs, 55 RBIs, and an impressive .823 OPS. Against the Yankees, Abreu’s OPS stands at a respectable .728.
As a team, Boston averages 4.77 runs per game, ranking eighth in the league, while their pitching staff carries a 4.18 ERA, placing them at the 20th spot.
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Nestor Cortes Starts for New York
The Yankees will call on Nestor Cortes to initiate the series. Cortes demonstrated his prowess in his latest outing, throwing four scoreless innings against the Cubs. While his performance can fluctuate, he has allowed five runs over 9.1 innings this month. This season, Cortes holds a 3.97 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a record of 9-10 across 163.1 innings. In his matchups against the Red Sox this season, he has given up five runs in 10.2 innings, with a career ERA of 5.22 against them.
New York is in a solid position as they continue their homestand, sitting 1.5 games ahead of the Orioles in the division as of Wednesday. The Yankees recently secured a series win against the Cubs and took two out of three against the Royals at home. Currently, they are six games over .500 at Yankee Stadium.
Aaron Judge, the standout slugger for New York, has struggled recently, hitting no home runs and driving in just four runs in his last ten games. Nevertheless, he has had an exceptional season with 51 home runs, 126 RBIs, and a remarkable 1.1 OPS. Against the Red Sox, Judge has accumulated nine RBIs with an impressive 1.04 OPS.
The Yankees are scoring an average of 5.02 runs per game, which places them second in the league, while their pitching staff has a commendable 3.81 ERA, ranking them 10th overall.
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Top Picks for Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
The Boston Red Sox find themselves four games behind in the wildcard race. In contrast, the New York Yankees are currently leading the division, just ahead of the Orioles by 1.5 games. The Yankees have clinched two victories in their last series against the Red Sox.
Additionally, Cooper Criswell has struggled to pitch deep into games, consistently going five innings or fewer in his last six outings. The Red Sox bullpen has also been a weak point, carrying a 4.60 ERA this season. Nestor Cortes, on the other hand, has shown sharp form, allowing just six runs over his last 29 innings pitched. The Yankees have won their last four contests against the Red Sox by margins of two runs or more.
