The Boston Red Sox play host to the New York Yankees in one of the most historic rivalries in sports and though both teams are on the outside looking in on the playoffs, Monday’s matchup at Fenway Park still sets up to be entertaining.
New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox (-130, 10)
Since a month of April in which Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt had a 6.84 ERA, he has been significantly better with three earned runs or fewer allowed in 21 of his 23 pitching appearances, posting a 4.05 ERA and 3.86 fielding independent in this span with one home run and 2.4 walks per nine innings allowed.
Schmidt will need to meet or exceed his current level with the lack of runs the Yankees have been scoring as since June 4, which was the first game the team played without Aaron Judge when he went on the injured list with a toe injury, the team ranks last in the league in runs per game with 3.8 and the team’s .218 batting average in that span is 11 points lower than any other team in the league.
Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford will look to keep the Yankees in their funk as he enters having a 4.36 ERA and 4.18 fielding independent with nine strikeouts and 2.5 walks allowed per nine innings and has had some of his best career results against the Yankees.
In five total pitching appearances and three starts against the Yankees, Crawford has a 1.89 ERA and in his most recent start against the Yankees, allowed just one run in six innings in August.
The Red Sox back up Crawford with a bullpen that is 19th in the league in ERA while the Yankees have the league’s best bullpen ERA at 3.16 with no other team posting an ERA better than 3.49.
While the Red Sox have had the league’s best home batting average in the league this season, the team has been held to four runs or fewer in 11 of their last 18 home games and figure to be in for a series opener that will be decided by pitching.
The Play: Yankees vs. Red Sox Under 10
