Regardless of what ultimately happens with the 2021 Boston Red Sox, it's good to have meaningful, late-season baseball back in New England.
And it doesn't get a whole lot better than what we have Tuesday and Wednesday in the Bronx when the Sox and New York Yankees play a three-game set over two days as they jockey for position in the American League East.
To say this is a massive opportunity for the Red Sox is underselling things. Boston largely has had its way with the Bombers this season, winning 10 of the 13 meetings between the longtime rivals.
Things have changed since the last time the two clubs met, though. The Red Sox no longer are in first place in the division, and the Yankees are on their heels. Alex Cora's club is two games clear of New York in the standings but own just a one-game advantage in the ever-important loss column. That's in large part due to Boston going 3-11 in a 14-game stretch beginning the day of the trade deadline, the same deadline in which New York reloaded by acquiring Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo.
However, the Red Sox took full advantage of an awful Orioles team over the weekend to seemingly right the ship. Boston celebrated the return of Chris Sale by outscoring the hapless Birds 30-5 in a three-game sweep at Fenway Park, but it obviously will face a stiffer test Tuesday afternoon in New York.
While the Yankees come in having won three in a row themselves, the Red Sox own a clear advantage in starting pitching that they must make matter. Here's how the two clubs will line up their pitching beginning with Tuesday's doubleheader (NESN's full coverage starts at noon ET).
Tuesday, Game 1: Tanner Houck (BOS) vs. Jordan Montgomery (NYY)
Tuesday, Game 2: Nathan Eovaldi (BOS) vs. Luis Gil (NYY)
Wednesday: Nick Pivetta (BOS) vs. Andrew Heaney (NYY)
On paper, Tuesday's opener looks like the toughest test for the Sox. Montgomery is 0-2 in three starts vs. Boston but has allowed just six earned runs while striking out 15 in 17 2/3 innings. He has allowed just one run in his last three starts overall.
The nightcap, though, might be a different story. All the credit in the world to Gil, the Yankees' No. 6 prospect per MLB.com, who has pitched well in limited big league action. The flame-throwing righty has yet to allow a run in two starts while striking out 14 over11 innings. Those two starts came against Baltimore and Seattle. A pennant race matchup against an offensive team like the Red Sox might be a different story.
And then there's Wednesday's tilt. The Yankees will trot out Heaney, who has been lit up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree since being acquired at the deadline. In four starts with the Yankees, Heaney has allowed 15 runs in 15 innings while surrendering an unheard of eight home runs. His 5.92 career ERA in five starts against the Sox isn't very impressive, either.
As for the Red Sox, the rotation is set up well. Houck has helped reinforce Boston's rotation since returning (2.21 ERA, .189 batting average against) and should play even better in a seven-inning game. Eovaldi gets the ball in Game 2 looking to build off a dominant performance against the first-place Rays his last time out. Then there's Pivetta, who is more of a mixed bag but has allowed just one run in his last two starts and represents a massive advantage over Heaney.
It's a golden opportunity for the Red Sox. They have a chance to reassert themselves as one of the AL's top teams while reminding the Yankees it's a two-team race in the division. The math still favors Boston, too, as Fangraphs puts the Sox's playoff chances at just over 83 percent, while the Yankees are slightly better than 50-50. The betting markets believe both are positioned to play into October, too.
Where and when those playoff games take place is still very much up in the air, and there's plenty of jockeying to be done still. The stretch run begins in earnest Tuesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
