Red Sox Set Rotation For Pivotal Four-Game Series Vs. Yankees

The Boston Red Sox’s biggest series of the year is set to begin Thursday, and they now have their starting rotation locked in.

After dropping their last three games, the Red Sox are off Wednesday before opening a four-game set in The Bronx against the New York Yankees.

Boston trails New York by one game in the standings entering Wednesday’s action, with the Yankees set to wrap up their current series against the Rays on Wednesday night. So, by the time the series begins, the Sox will be either 0.5 or 1.5 games back.

WEEI’s Rob Bradford tweeted Wednesday that the Red Sox rotation will be as follows:

Thursday, Aug, 21 — Lucas Giolito
Friday, Aug. 22 — Brayan Bello
Saturday, Aug. 23 — Garrett Crochet
Sunday, Aug. 24 — Dustin May

That represents the steadiest group of starters the Sox could trot out based on recent form.

The Yankees have not set their rotation, but if they continue the way they have the Sox are likely to see Luis Gil on Thursday, followed by Max Fried, Will Warren and Carlos Rodon.

Boston has a comfortable, but not insurmountable, cushion in the wild card standings. A strong performance over the weekend would put the Red Sox back up in the standings over the Yankees and extend the gap from teams like Cleveland. While catching Toronto atop the division is obviously an objective, putting the Yankees in a precarious spot is more attainable in the near term.

Boston leads the season series 5-1. It took two of three in New York from June 6-8 before sweeping the Yankees at Fenway a week later.

With the final month of the season just around the corner, the Sox need to get back on track, and quieting the Yankees in New York would certainly be one way to do it.