Media by Associated Press – Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran scores on a wild pitch during the sixth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, July 14, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Scott Audette)
Last weekend the Boston Red Sox (47-43) and New York Yankees (62-27) split four games at Fenway Park. This weekend they get together for three more games at Yankee Stadium to lead into the MLB All-Star break. Friday’s series opener is set for 7:05 p.m. ET, airing on MLB Network.
The Red Sox will start RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 3.16) in his return from the injury list against Yankees LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-2, 3.19). The Yankees lead the season series 4-3 with a 2-1 record at home. Last year the season series went to Boston 10-9, and the Yankees took the shortened 2020 series 9-1.
Red Sox Swept in Tampa
Since winning the last two games of the Yankees series, Boston is 0-4, swept in Tampa Bay. They are 2-8 in their last ten games and 24-23 on the road this season. The Rays are 15-7 against left-handed starters and 11-24 against AL East opponents.
In the series against the Rays, Rafael Devers had a home run while Xander Bogaerts had six hits and two RBI. They also got starting pitcher Chris Sale back from injury as the lefty made his 2022 debut on Tuesday with five shutout innings.
Devers had a two-homer game against the Yankees last Friday before missing the last two games of the series. He returned this week, but Trevor Story has been out since Tuesday after getting hit in the wrist. Rob Refsnyder had a great series against the Yankees last weekend, going 6-for-11 with a home run, while Alex Verdugo had five hits, including a walk-off single.
Eovaldi last pitched on June 8 at the Angels and went on the injured list with lower back inflammation. He won his last three starts before going on the IL and has gone at least five innings in four straight starts. Eovaldi took a no-decision against the Yankees on April 8 and lost to them twice last season.
Giancarlo Stanton has three career homers off Eovaldi in 30 at-bats, while Josh Donaldson has two in 15 at-bats. Aaron Judge is 9-for-23 with a homer against the righty, while Anthony Rizzo is 6-for-11 with a homer, and Matt Carpenter is 5-for-10. He’s had the best success against Joey Gallo (1-for-9) and Aaron Hicks (3-for-18)
Yankees Slumping into Break
The All-Star break can’t get here fast enough for the Yankees, who have lost four of their last five games. After losing the last two games in Boston, they lost a home series to the Cincinnati Red, the last place team in the NL Central. The Yankees are 35-11 at home this season, 42-19 against RHP, and 28-14 inside the division.
Carpenter, Judge, and Gleyber Torres all homered against the Reds on Thursday, but the Yankees lost 7-6 in 10 innings. Stanton homered in Wednesday’s win as Isiah Kiner-Falefa drove in three. Rizzo had two RBI in the series opener on Tuesday, while Torres had three hits.
In last week’s series, the Yankees hit seven homers in four games, two each from Carpenter, Hicks, and Donaldson. Carpenter was 7-for-14 in the series, while Donaldson had four hits and seven RBI. Torres had six hits in three games, but Judge was just 3-for-15 at Fenway, and Stanton was 2-for-12.
Montgomery’s last start was against the Red Sox on Saturday, a no-decision as the Yankees lost in 10 innings. He gave up a home run to Refsnyder while striking out four and allowing two runs in 5 ⅔ innings. On the season, he is 2-0 in eight home starts with a 3.19 ERA.
He faced the Red Sox in April as well and three times last year with five straight no-decisions against them. Vazquez is 6-for-21 against Montgomery with two homers, while Devers also has a homer off the lefty. Bogaerts is 15-for-31 against Montgomery, but J.D. Martinez is just 2-for-23.
Betting Analysis
- Boston Red Sox +1.5 (-130) moneyline +160
- New York Yankees -1.5 (+105) moneyline -180
- Total Runs 8.5. Over -110. Under -110.
With Eovaldi coming off the IL, going against the Yankees offense is not ideal. Even in losing four of the last five, New York has scored at least five runs in seven of the last eight games. Boston has averaged three runs off Montgomery the last two years, and the Yankees bullpen has struggled in July.
Betting Pick: Over 8.5 runs (-110)
Keep up with your latest MLB news coverage and betting pick previews at NJ Sportsbook.