Pineda, Yankees tangle with Red Sox
As the second half of the season begins, the Yankees sit 5 ½ games out of a playoff spot. This weekend’s battle royale against Boston, then, somehow takes on even more importance than usual.
New York kicks off a stretch of seven consecutive contests vs. the top two teams in the American League East tonight, with a 7:05 p.m. ET first pitch in the Bronx. Oddsmakers at online sports book Bovada.lv list Joe Girardi’s club as a 1.5-run favorite. Beantown’s finest, on the other hand, enter as -103 underdogs.
Tabling the division race for a moment, the Yanks still have six squads to pass in order to snare wild-card status. This evening’s starter, Michael Pineda, seems to grasp the heightened-sense-of-urgency thing. He posted a 2.75 ERA in six June assignments, fanning 11 Texas batters in a particularly special gem at the end of the month. The righty holds a 4-4 record with a 4.50 ERA in nine career encounters with Boston.
Fresh off an appearance at the All-Star Game, Steven Wright takes the ball for manager John Farrell. On May 8 in New York, the Hawaii product took a shutout into the ninth inning and polished off a three-hitter. Wright’s last two outings before the Midsummer Classic weren’t exactly noteworthy, however, as he surrendered a combined nine earned runs and 17 hits in 11 frames against the Angels and Royals.
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Of course, Wright can usually rely on a smattering of offensive support. The Red Sox pace the majors in runs scored (490), average (.292), on-base percentage (.359), slugging percentage (.474) and OPS (.833). Yet, the Yankees fully understand what’s at stake here. Look for them to capitalize on the possible fatigue of Boston’s myriad of returning All-Stars.
FRIDAY MLB FREE PICK: RED SOX/YANKEES UNDER 9 RUNS