Red Sox vs. Yankeess series preview

As we head into baseballs mid-season, this will be just the second series this season between the Red Sox and Yankees since the Yankees won two out of two after game one was postponed back in April. The two teams head into this series first and second, respectively, in the AL East with the Red Sox just two games back. Lets look ahead to series number two between the Yankees and the Red Sox down in the Bronx.

Game 1: Pomeranz (5-3. 4.24 ERA) vs. Tanaka (5-5. 6.34 ERA) 

Pomeranz enters this game off of a dominant last two starts against Texas and the White Sox, allowing three earned runs over thirteen innings while striking out nineteen over the span. He is finally starting to show flashes of his all-star potential that the Red Sox traded for. Tanaka on the other hand has been inconsistent the entire year. In three of his last four starts, Tanaka has not gotten out if the 5th inning and allowed eight, six, and seven earned runs. Then you throw in the game he pitched against Oakland which is the other one game out of his last four where he went into the 8th inning and gave up one earned on five hits. But history does repeat itself and the Red Sox have a team average of .210 against Tanaka with only four home runs. And it’s not like the Yankees are Pomeranz daddy, they own a .224 team average against him with four homers as well. The difference? Tanaka has faced 181 Red Sox hitters, Pomeranz only 76 Yankees. I’m going down to the evil empire tonight to watch this game as it should be an interesting one.

Game 2: Porcello (3-7, 4.24 ERA) vs. Sabathia (6-2, 4.12 ERA)

Porcello is clearly not his Cy Young, 22-4 record with a 3.15 ERA self. He has struggled all year to keep teams from hitting the ball and from hitting the ball out of the park. Over his last six starts he has allowed an averaged nine hits to teams while averaging just six innings of work….that wont get the job done slick. However, Porcello has not pitched awful in those last six starts besides giving up big hits and letting teams piece hits together. He needs to watch out even more as the Yankees have a .248 average against him in 145 at bats….nine dingers as well. Could be a long night…

CC on the other hand has held the Red Sox to a .238 average over 168 batters, however, he walks many batters. He has 25 BB against the Red Sox so if he can put guys on the Sox need to capitalize as Porcello has been unable to hold teams in check so far this year. But don’t bank on that because CC has been red-hot over his last four starts, allowing four earned runs and twenty hits total over 24 1/3 innings pitched….back to your Cleveland days I see, CC.

Game 3: Price (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Pineda (6-3, 3.76 ERA) 

It has only been two games, but Price looks like his old self thus far. His velocity and location look to be fine and he seems comfortable. He comes off an amazing outing against the O’s where he went seven deep allowing just one earned on three hits. Even his first game back was a flash of good things to come with just one mistake that cost him on his stat line and the bullpen blowing the game. However, over his career the Yankees are taking batting practice off Price as the team is hitting .299 off of him in 187 at bats, however just four long balls to show for it. We’ll see if the Price is right Thursday night.

Pineda just got rocked north of the border in his last start. He went just five deep while allowing five earned on ten hits. However. in his five starts before that Pineda looked fine as he gave up no more than three earned runs over a start in as little as six innings of work. But over 148 batters faced on the Sox, Pineda as allowed a .277 average with six home runs.

 

Should be an interesting series as the Red Sox are hungry for first and the Yankees still want to prove they’re real.

(Stats courtesy of http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable_batter_vs_pitcher.jsp#season=2017 and the ESPN fantasy baseball app)