The New York Yankees have finished up their critical series against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. However, with the conclusion of this American League East series, there’s a new one on the horizon, and it means even more.
Both the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox are vying for position in the American League Wild Card race. Fortunately for both, there are three spots available, but the race isn’t just between those two, as the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas
City Royals, and the Texas Rangers are all in the mix. The upcoming series between the Red Sox and the Yankees is a good way to gauge just where both teams stand relative to each other in the Wild Card race, and for New York, it’s hard to believe their confidence isn’t through the roof.
In the first game against the Rays, the Yankees tied a franchise record for most home runs in a single game with nine, including two from multiple players: Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton, and José Caballero.
And the Bombers didn’t stop there. Trent Grisham and Austin Wells each smoked two home runs in their second game against the Rays, and Stanton added one as a pinch hitter to take the second game of the two-game set. They tied the MLB record for home runs in a two-game series with 14.
Being at a familiar ballpark (and a hitter-friendly one at that) helped keep the Yankees’ bats on a nuclear level. Still, the outbursts began in the series before, including 24 runs across three games against the St. Louis Cardinals (and a series sweep) and 16 against the Minnesota Twins, where they won two games and lost the third. This run outburst prior to the Rays series and throughout it puts the Yankees in a good spot heading into four big games against their biggest rival.
But while the Yankees’ offense has been having a field day the last few series, the Red Sox are no slouch either. They hold the second-highest run total in the AL East and the fourth-highest in all of MLB. They’re top seventh in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, and just outside the top 10 in wRC+. Additionally, per FanGraphs, their baserunning rating is fifth-highest in the league.
So, while the Yankees may be on a tear at the present moment (and have generally been a good offensive team throughout the season), it’s worth noting that the Red Sox team they’ll be facing isn’t one to take for granted. Boston will be giving the Yankees’ pitching staff fits, just as the Yankees’ offense hopes to do against the Red Sox.
The caveat to this Yankees offensive outburst is that the Red Sox pitching staff has been better than most of what the Bombers have seen over this streak. The Twins rank fifth in overall pitching fWAR, and the only loss of the wins series came against Joe Ryan when he pitched his 6.2 inning gem, allowing only four hits and the only run with seven strikeouts. But outside of the Twins, the pitching staffs the Yankees have faced aren’t nearly as threatening as the Red Sox will be.
Tampa Bay and St. Louis sit 15th and 16th, respectively, in pitching staff fWAR. The Rays are 15th in staff ERA, while the Cardinals are 22nd in MLB. Contrast that to where the Red Sox are in both of those categories (eighth and sixth), and it’s going to be a much bigger challenge for the Yankees’ bats to keep their stride through the weekend.
Garrett Crochet will be the most significant starting weapon the Yankees see (Will Warren will face him on Saturday), but Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello have both been extremely solid for Boston as well, and they are confirmed for the series, with the fourth option being left open on Sunday to face Carlos Rodón. Nonetheless, it won’t be like what the Yankees have seen for the last week. There’s also a bullpen that boasts names like flamethrower and former Yankee Aroldis Chapman, fellow heater enthusiast Jordan Hicks, contortionist Steven Matz, Garrett Whitlock, and a handful of others who have been crucial to the Red Sox success so far this season.
Despite the clear jump in starting pitching talent, the Yankees should have full confidence in their offensive capabilities. With Judge back in the lineup and feeling comfortable, that’s a huge boost on top of players like Stanton, Bellinger, and Grisham finding their groove. The four games are sure to be action-packed one way or the other. Now, it’s time to sit back and watch two teams battle it out for command of the Wild Card.
