Red Sox at Yankees
J.A. Happ shut down the Boston Red Sox last year and Nathan Eovaldi did the same to the New York Yankees, but both pitchers are off to rocky starts this season. Neither Happ nor Eovaldi have cracked the win column yet as they prepare to square off when New York wraps up a two-game series against the rival Red Sox on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees had lost five of six before using the long ball to beat up on Boston on Tuesday night, getting a three-run homer from Mike Tauchman and solo shots by Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres in the 8-0 rout. Tauchman entered the contest with zero homers and two RBIs in 61 career games but added a run-scoring double in his four-RBI night as every starter in New York's injury-depleted lineup had at least one hit. It was the second straight feeble offensive performance by the Red Sox, who mustered just three hits one day after collecting four in an 8-1 drubbing by Baltimore. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts has hit safely in seven of the past eight games for the Red Sox, who at 6-12 own their worst record through 18 games since 1996.
TV: 6:35 p.m. ET, ESPN, NESN (Boston), MSG (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 8.40 ERA) vs. Yankees LH J.A. Happ (0-2, 8.76)
Eovaldi allowed three home runs in 12 appearances (11 starts) with Boston last year, but he has doubled that number while working five innings in each of his three turns. He was taken deep three times and yielded six runs in his season debut at Seattle, allowed three runs in Oakland and was reached for five runs by Toronto last time out. DJ LeMahieu is 2-for-12 against Eovaldi, who was 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in four starts versus the Yankees in 2018 and beat them with seven strong innings in the playoffs.
Happ has failed to make it through the fifth inning in each of his first three starts, giving up four runs in four innings in a loss to Baltimore in his season debut and permitting two runs over 4 1/3 frames in a rematch versus the Orioles a week later. The 36-year-old, who was roughed up for six runs and nine hits in a loss to the Chicago White Sox last time out, went 1-1 with a 1.99 ERA in four starts versus Boston last year. Steve Pearce has tormented Happ, going 11-for-32 with six homers and 16 RBIs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees RF Aaron Judge had two hits Tuesday to improve to 11-for-34 at Yankee Stadium.
2. Boston recalled Sandy Leon from Triple-A Pawtucket and designated fellow C Blake Swihart for assignment.
3. The Yankees place 1B Greg Bird on the 10-day injured list with a left plantar fascia tear.
PREVIEW: Yankees 6, Red Sox 4