Both teams struggled at certain points early in the season. But, as expected, they've each straightened things out in order to climb to the top of the divison — a spot where each is so accustomed to being.
Either the Red Sox or the Yankees have finished first in the AL East for 14 of the last 17 seasons, a span that also includes five World Series titles for the Yankees and two for the Sox. Simply put, the Sox and Yankees have emerged as the beasts of the American League over the past decade.
Although one team walks away from their weekend series at Fenway with a one-game lead, it'll be shocking if the back-and-forth struggle doesn't continue for the duration of the season.
Both teams boast explosive offenses. The Red Sox offense, which has been historic so far this season, is ranked first in the majors in nearly every major statistical category. The Yankees, meanwhile, are second — or at least in the top five — in many of the same categories.
On paper, the Sox boast what many regard as the better rotation, as Josh Beckett and Jon Lester form one of the game's premier one-two punches. But they also experienced a setback with Clay Buchholz's injury, which will put more pressure on guys like John Lackey, Erik Bedard and Tim Wakefield.
The Yankees, while relying heavily on veterans Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, have one of the majors' most dominant starters in CC Sabathia — although the Sox have lit him up over the course of his career.
The bullpen is where the Yankees have the potential to truly become dangerous, though. With the greatest closer of all time, Mariano Rivera, waiting at the back end, the Bronx Bombers also have two nasty set-up men in Rafael Soriano and David Robertson.
The Sox have their own one-two punch at the back end of the bullpen in Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon, but the Yankees bullpen ranks amongst the best in the bigs — a dominance that the Sox saw on Friday night.
All in all, each team is very comparable. They each hold an advantage in a certain area, but it remains to be seen which strength will prove to be the difference.
As has been the custom for many years, whichever team finishes second in the division will likely earn the Wild Card. But that doesn't mean the Sox and Yankees won't fight until the very end to earn the divison crown, a favorable first-round matchup and potentially home-field advantage in the ALCS.
