One of the best rivalries in all of baseball will resume this weekend as the Boston Red Sox are set to visit the New York Yankees. The first game of this series is set for Friday, and both teams will be desperately searching for some wins in this matchup.
Boston comes into this game with an overall record of 63-58, and they have actually been better than expected this season. The Red Sox are in fourth place in the AL East Division but are still within striking distance in the AL Wild Card race.
The Yankees have been a major disappointment so far in 2023, and they have been in a free fall of late. New York is now just 60-61 on the year, and they are in danger of falling completely out of the playoff race.
The Yankees are the moneyline betting favorites at -125 over the Red Sox on Friday night.
Boston Needs Big Start From Bello
The Boston Red Sox will send Brayan Bello to the mound on Friday night, and he will need to deliver. Bello comes into the start with an 8-7 record to go along with a 3.81 ERA, but this will be one of the biggest starts of the year.
Pitching has tended to be a problem for the Red Sox all season long as they come into play with a team ERA of 4.38 on the year. The Red Sox have been able to shut the Yankees down so far this season, but it won’t be easy to continue that trend.
Rafael Devers has been terrific at the plate this season, as he leads the way with 27 home runs and 81 RBIs. Boston has put up some big numbers at the plate this season, especially in the second half of the year.
Yankees Have to Score
The New York Yankees are going to have to find some offense if they are going to snap this losing streak and get back on track. New York didn’t score a run in each of their last two games, and there are some players scuffling in that lineup.
Gleyber Torres leads the team with a .265 batting average and 49 RBIs, but those numbers should tell you all you need to know about this offense. Aaron Judge has belted 22 home runs, but he just hasn’t been the same since getting injured.
The Yankees have not named a starting pitcher for Friday night, but they have some young arms that look good enough to get some outs. New York wants to win games at the plate, but slowing the Red Sox down will be a key.
Yankees Get Some Revenge
The Red Sox have won five of the first six games between the rivals this season, and that isn’t sitting well with the Yankees. New York is also playing with some desperation, and they will use that as some motivation in this matchup.
Even though the Yankees don’t have a starting pitcher lined up in this game, it will be all about the offense for this team. New York is going to have a big day at the plate against Bello, and they will score enough runs to cruise to a win.
Bet the New York Yankees -125 over the Boston Red Sox in the series opener on Friday night.
