Red Sox at Yankees
The New York Yankees spent all of 2018 chasing the Boston Red Sox in the American League East and are turning the tables in 2019. The Yankees will try to increase their lead over their rivals when they host the Red Sox in the second of a rain-shortened three-game series on Saturday.
New York, which lost to Boston in the American League Division Series last October, is 3-0 against the Red Sox in 2019 after earning a 4-1 win in Friday's series opener - beating ace Chris Sale in the process. The Yankees sit 8 1/2 games ahead of Boston - with Tampa Bay 1 1/2 back - after DJ LeMahieu homered and doubled in a run and Aaron Hicks singled in a pair on Friday, giving New York its 14th win in the last 17 games despite a roster still missing big names like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius. The Red Sox appeared to be getting back into the race until dropping five of their last seven, including each of the last three. Boston will try to turn things around on Saturday behind former Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, while the Yankees counter with right-hander Domingo German.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (4-4, 4.41 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Domingo German (9-1, 3.43)
Porcello has recorded a quality start in six of his last seven outings and earned a win over Cleveland on Monday when he permitted five runs - three earned - and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. The New Jersey native generated a season-high 14 ground balls in the outing while striking out four. Porcello made four starts against the Yankees during the 2018 regular season and went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA before yielding a total of one run in 5 2/3 innings across two appearances in the ALDS.
German had a string of six straight wins come to an end when he was knocked around for seven runs and nine hits - four homers - in five innings at Kansas City. The 26-year-old Dominican Republic native escaped without a decision in that start but watched his ERA rise from 2.60 to 3.43. German made two appearances - one start - against Boston last season and allowed a total of one run in 4 1/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox 1B Steve Pearce (back spasms) left Friday's game and is day-to-day.
2. New York DH Kendrys Morales is 2-for-29 over his last eight games.
3. Boston RHP Nathan Eovaldi (elbow surgery) pitched a simulated game prior to Friday's contest.