The Boston Red Sox will take on the New York Yankees for a three-game weekend series. The Red Sox are coming in off a rough series loss against the Washington Nationals in which they dropped two out of three games; they were outscored 20-14. The Yankees are coming off a series in which the Atlanta Braves swept them in three games, and they were outscored 18-3 and were shut out in the final two games of the series. The Red Sox, this season against the Yankees, are 5-1 and have outscored them 32-15.
Boston Red Sox (63-58) vs. New York Yankees (60-61)
Game 1:
Date: Friday, August 18
Time: 7:05 PM EST
Broadcast: Apple TV+
Game 2:
Date: Saturday, August 17
Time: 1:05 PM EST
Broadcast: NESN/FS1
Game 3:
Date: Sunday, August 19
Time: 1:35 PM EST
Broadcast: NESN
Projected Starting Pitchers:
Game 1: Brayan Bello (8-7, 3.81 ERA) vs. TBD
Bello will kick things off for the Red Sox against the Yankees, making his 21st start of the season. He posts a 4.44 FIP, a 1.26 WHIP, a 2.4 BB/9, and a 7.6 K/9. His last start came against the Detroit Tigers, where he only lasted 4.2 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out five. This season he has made two starts against the Yankees, going 1-0 in 14 innings of work; he has allowed three runs on seven hits; he has walked five and struck out 11. The Yankees have not announced a starter for the series’ first game.
Game 2: Kutter Crawford (5-6, 3.80 ERA) vs. Gerrit Cole (10-3, 2.76 ERA)
In the middle game, Kutter Crawford will get the ball for the Red Sox, making his 24th appearance and 16th start. He posts a 4.17 FIP, a 1.13 WHIP, a 2.2 BB/9, and an 8.9 K/9. He last started against the Tigers last weekend, going 4.2 innings and giving up two runs on three hits; he walked one and struck out two. He hasn’t faced the Yankees yet this season, but in his career, he has appeared in four games, making two starts; he is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 9.7 K/9. Crawford will face Gerrit Cole, who is making his 26th start of the season; he posts a 3.32 FIP, a 1.04 WHIP, a 2.4 BB/9, and a 9.6 K/9. This season against the Red Sox, he has made one start picking up a loss in that one going six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits; he walked one and struck out six.
Game 3: Nick Pivetta (8-6, 4.34 ERA) vs. Clarke Schmidt (8-7, 4.76 ERA)
Pivetta gets the ball in the finale for the Red Sox, making his 30th appearance and 12th start; it’s his third start since being moved back to the rotations. He posts a 4.26 FIP, a 1.20 WHIP, a 3.6 BB/9, and an 11.2 K/9 this season, and as a starter this season, he posts a 5.31 FIP, a 1.43 WHIP, a 3.81 BB/9, and a 10.64 K/9. This season against the Yankees, he has appeared in three games, all in relief roles, pitching 4.2 innings, picking up a win, and he didn’t give up a run or a hit; he has walked one and struck out five. Pivetta will be opposed by Clarke Schmidt, who is making his 26th appearance and 25th start posting a 4.40 FIP, a 1.35 WHIP, a 2.5 BB/9, and an 8.7 K/9. He has made two starts against the Red Sox this season with a no-decision in both starts combing to go ten innings giving up three runs on nine hits; he has walked three and struck out seven.
Red Sox vs. Yankees Batting Leaders
Series Prediction
The way the 2023 season has gone for the Red Sox, this seems like a series where they lose two out of three to the Yankees or get swept, then over the next ten games, which is a difficult test, they’ll go 7-3 or 8-2, but still, this series the pitching matchups do benefit the Red Sox. The Red Sox have hit Cole hard this season, and Crawford has pitched well. However, the Red Sox need their bats to produce for them. I’ll say the Red Sox take two out of three from the Yankees in this one; I’d love a sweep to get some momentum going before they head to Houston to face the Astros for four games.
