Red Sox at Yankees (Game 2)
The Boston Red Sox are enduring their first five-game slide since July of 2015 and are showing no signs that they are ready to dig out of the hole and get back into the postseason race. The Red Sox will try to stop the skid and knock a couple games off their deficit in the American League East when they visit the New York Yankees for a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.
Boston bashed its way to three wins over New York last weekend to get the hopes of its fans up but lost the finale of that four-game series on Sunday and was swept in a three-game series by the Tampa Bay Rays before watching a fifth straight starting pitcher get off to a rocky start in Friday's 4-2 setback. The lost dropped the Red Sox 11 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the American League East but, more importantly, pushed them four games behind the Rays, who are currently occupying the second wild card spot in the AL. New York got a first-inning grand slam from Gleyber Torres on Friday and leaned on the pitching the rest of the way as its staff slowly begins to turn things around following a couple rough turns through the rotation. The Yankees will turn to Domingo German against Boston ace Chris Sale in the first game on Saturday before using an opener against Red Sox lefty Brian Johnson in the nightcap.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Brian Johnson (1-1, 6.43 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Chad Green (2-3, 5.06)
Johnson is making his third start and eighth major league appearance this season after spending the last six weeks on the injured list due to an intestinal issue. The 28-year-old's best appearance of 2019 was his last on June 22, when he held the Toronto Blue Jays to an unearned run on four hits over five innings without factoring in the decision. Johnson, who is seeing New York for the first time in 2019, owns a 1.13 ERA as a starter in 2019.
Green has made eight of his 36 appearances as an opener this season and owns a 2.31 ERA in that role, though he was reached for four runs and five hits over 2 1/3 innings out of the bullpen at Boston last Saturday. Right-hander Luis Cessa owns the most experience as a long reliever on the staff this season and worked at least two innings in each of his last four appearances, most recently going three innings against Arizona on Tuesday. Right-hander Stephen Tarpley, who was recalled on Friday when lefty J.A. Happ was place on the paternity list, is another candidate to work multiple innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Red Sox placed LHP David Price on the paternity list Friday but expect him back to start the finale on Sunday.
2. Yankees SS Didi Gregorius (hand, finger) sat out Friday and is day-to-day.
3. New York C Gary Sanchez (groin) is eligible to come off the IL on Saturday but will need a few more days.