Red Sox Vs. Yankees Lineups: Mastaka Yoshida Returns For Rival Clash

The Boston Red Sox are still on the hunt for the red-hot stretch that could catapult them into an American League wild card spot, although Thursday night’s deflating defeat in extra innings against the New York Yankees certainly didn’t help.

Boston scored one run off four hits, went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and squandered an opportunity to spark the fuse necessary to save its season. The second half of this season, in which the Red Sox have failed to record a single series sweep, hasn’t helped the team’s odds and continues to put Boston in a backs-against-the-wall position, now with just 15 games — including Friday night’s — remaining.

Back in the Bronx for the second of two with the division-leading Yankees, Red Sox manager Alex Cora re-inserted designated hitter Masataka Yoshida into the lineup — hitting in the cleanup spot. Yoshida wrapped up an impressive month of August slashing .326/.381/.516 with four home runs, six doubles and 15 RBIs. Yoshida will face New York right-hander Clarke Schmidt, who has surrendered three homers and 26 hits when facing left-handed hitters this season.

The Red Sox can’t settle for riding a one-run offensive showing into extra innings if they intend on making a triumphant final push for the playoffs.

Boston trails the Minnesota Twins by 4 1/2 games for the final wild card spot in the AL, rolling with four left-handed hitters hoping to evening up the series with New York.

First pitch from Yankee Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET, and the game will be aired on Apple TV+. Here are the lineups for Boston and New York:

BOSTON RED SOX (74-73)
Jarren Duran, CF
Rafael Devers, 3B
Tyler O’Neill, LF
Masataka Yoshida, DH
Connor Wong, C
Wilyer Abreu, RF
Triston Casas, 1B
Trevor Story, SS
Ceddanne Rafaela, 2B

Tanner Houck, RHP (8-10, 3.42 ERA)

NEW YORK YANKEES (84-63)
Gleyber Torres, 2B
Juan Soto, RF
Aaron Judge, CF
Austin Wells, C
Giancarlo Stanton, DH
Jazz Chisholm Jr., 3B
Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Anthony Volpe, SS
Alex Verdugo, LF

Clarke Schmidt, RHP (5-2, 2.34 ERA)