James Paxton Starts The Opener As New York Faces Rival Boston In The Bronx

It was just five days ago that New York was at Fenway Park where they lost three out of four games to Boston but won the finale on Sunday by a score of 9-6.

Now it’s New York’s turn to host their American League East rival starting Friday for a four game series in the Bronx.

New York who is leading their division comes into the opening game of the four game series with a record of 68-39 while Boston who is third in the division comes into the opening game of the four game series with a record of 59-51. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings

James Paxton will start the opening game of the for New York. The left -hander who is from Ladner, BC, Canada and who’s nickname is the Big Maple comes into the opener with a record of 5-6 with a 4.72 earn run average. Paxton will see the Red Sox again after compiling a bizarre line in his last outing, becoming the first Yankee to permit at least seven runs in four or fewer innings while also walking none and striking out at least nine. He will oppose Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez who comes into the game with a record of 13-4 with a 4.13 earn run average. The lefty is 8-1 with a 3.03 ERA in his past 11 starts. Rodriguez held the Yankees to three runs in 5 2/3 innings in a win last weekend. He is 2-3 with a 3.74 ERA lifetime at Yankee Stadium “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

As for New York’s previous game, they earned a split with Arizona on Wednesday.

Gary Sanchez is on the injured list with a strained left groin but has resumed running and hitting but will apparently require more than four more days before he's ready to go. “according to https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/yankees-gary-sanchez-making-good-progress/ so for now it is Kyle Higashiosaka and Austin Romine doing the catching for the guys in pinstripes.

But it was Austin Romine who helped New York earn a split and avoid being swept by Arizona in the quick two game series.

Romine’s go-ahead two-run blast off Yoshihisa Hirano highlighted the action on a day in which the Yankees largely stood pat at the Trade Deadline, helping to power New York’s 7-5 victory over the D-backs on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

The catcher's shot landed in the left-field seats approximately 30 minutes after the 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline. Though general manager Brian Cashman said repeatedly that he was seeking to bolster the club's pitching, the Yanks’ only move on Wednesday was to acquire Minor League left-hander Alfredo Garcia in exchange for right-hander Joseph Harvey. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

"We didn’t get close to anything, but we certainly knocked on all doors," Cashman said. "We had a lot of ideas and exchanged ideas with clubs in our effort to improve. But the fallback always has been that we know we have a good club already." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

Even without a splashy move, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that his club has enough to make 2019 special. The Yankees (68-39) own a healthy eight-game advantage in the American League East, and Boone believes that they can enjoy a deep October run, even if they run into the freshly reinforced Astros. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

“Hopefully we’re in a position to be playing them in a meaningful game," Boone said. "You never know when you'll match up, but obviously [Greinke is] a really good pitcher and helps their club. We know we can go beat anyone. Nothing changes there.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

Mike Tauchman hit a two-run homer in the second inning off Greinke, who permitted two hits over five innings before being removed during a sixth-inning rain delay. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

During those 36 minutes when the tarpaulin covered the playing field, Houston finalized a deal to acquire Greinke in exchange for four prospects. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

“There’s an entire television network that’s dedicated just to talking about that for 24 hours a day, so it’s naturally going to get talked about," Tauchman said. "We had the rain delay right around the time when the Deadline was coming up. It was just, ‘We've got to get it done today.’” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

Attempting to bounce back from arguably the worst start of his professional career, having permitted a career-high 12 earned runs to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Masahiro Tanaka auditioned a revised grip on his trademark splitter in order to generate more swings and misses. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

The tweak came at the suggestion of pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who believes that lower seams on the baseball have cost Tanaka some of his vertical drop. Tanaka only completed four-plus innings, with a stellar stop by third baseman Gio Urshela saving at least two runs in the fourth. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

"Obviously, you want to stay in there, go that [fifth] inning and put up a zero, but I think it's part of me having not been effective of late," Tanaka said through a translator. "I kind of understand the decision. For me, I need to keep on performing and get some results, then it'll change." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

Arizona produced three runs in the fifth off Tanaka and Chad Green. Eduardo Escobar collected an RBI on a fielder’s choice, Jake Lamb lifted a sacrifice fly to score the second run and center fielder Aaron Hicks committed a costly error, uncorking a throw to third base that landed in the visiting dugout and allowed another run to score. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

The Yanks padded their lead with three eighth-inning runs as Gleyber Torres and Cameron Maybin thumped RBI hits. Tim Locastro hit his first big league homer in the ninth off Nestor Cortes Jr. before Aroldis Chapman secured his 27th save in 32 chances. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

“In there celebrating a win with those guys, [I was] looking around the room and knowing we’ve got everything we need to be a championship club," Boone said. "That doesn’t change." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/austin-romine-leads-yanks-to-win-with-home-run

Unlike their American League East rival Boston not only lost the finale on Thursday night to Tampa Bay but was swept in the process.

The baseball season is long, and a lot can change in 52 games. But with the calendar flipped to August, the Red Sox are left with less than two months to turn things around if they aim to return to the postseason and defend their World Series title. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

Starting the month being swept at home by the division-rival Rays just ahead of a series against the Yankees in New York isn’t what they had planned. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“We’ve got a big challenge coming up this weekend, and if we’re going to be involved in whatever talk for the playoffs, it better start tomorrow,” manager Alex Cora said after Boston's 9-4 loss to Tampa Bay. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

This scenario didn’t seem all that likely just a week ago. The Red Sox went 3-2 against the Rays in St. Petersburg, then won the first three games at home against the Yankees. They have hit a four-game skid, though, their loss to the Yankees on Sunday followed by three straight to the Rays. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

As they head to New York, they are 10 1/2 games behind the first-place Yankees and 3 1/2 games out of the American League Wild Card spot. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“[We took] three steps back,” Cora said. “That can’t happen. Can’t happen. Obviously, it’s Aug. 1, 2 -- whatever it is -- and we don’t like where we’re at. And it seems like right now, the last few days, it wasn’t a great brand of baseball. ... We’ve got to be better at home, we’ve got to better in these conditions, we’ve got to be better against everybody. And we’re not doing that right now.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

Dropping games to these opponents particularly stings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“I think it might be probably the most disappointing losses of the season so far,” said Xander Bogaerts, who plated three of the four runs on Thursday with a pair of homers. “It’s a crucial time, and it’s a time that we need to win as much. It feels like getting one win is really hard to come by right now. We’ve got to find a way to forget these last few games, try to remember the good times and try to go on a run again.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

The Red Sox were 57-24 at Fenway Park in their 2018 World Series-winning season. This year they are 27-29 at home, including 1-8 against the Rays. Tampa Bay became the first team to capture eight wins in Boston during a single season since the 1966 Orioles. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“You never want that to happen,” Mitch Moreland said. “Fenway Park’s supposed to be for us.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

Instead it was the Rays heading home with momentum as the Red Sox travel to the Bronx looking for answers. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“It’s tough to win here, period,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “It’s tough to win a series here, let alone do what we just accomplished. We should feel good about ourselves.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

Boston's pitchers were heavily hit by an aggressive Tampa Bay lineup on Thursday. Starter Andrew Cashner allowed seven runs with just one strikeout in 5 2/3 innings. The Rays belted home runs off Colten Brewer and Heath Hembree en route to a 12-hit evening. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“It is concerning,” Cora said of the pitching. “I’ve been talking about this the whole time -- we need to get better. And it sounds like I say the same thing for 100 days. We trust the group, we trust these guys, but we have to execute. We can talk about adjustments, attacking guys, but at the end, we have to go out and do it. … We don’t keep the ball in the ballpark. It was a rough one.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

It's not as though the Red Sox didn’t have their chances. They connected for 10 hits, but went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Andrew Benintendi hit three doubles and never scored. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“We didn’t execute,” Cora said. “I always say that offense is the one that brings energy. … I think there were a few plays that we don’t play that way. You saw it throughout the week, throughout the series. We’ll talk to them. We’ll address it, because that can’t happen. We’ve got to be better. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“It’s not that we have to fake energy, because you’re still in the big leagues and there’s not too many people in the world that are playing in the big leagues right now. It’s only, like, 750 of them. And I think the effort has to be there every day. You’re going to go through slumps, through struggles, but there’s a few things you can control, and it’s the effort. There are a few things that effort-wise, it didn’t look good.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

The Red Sox will look to strike a balance between staying locked into each game and acknowledging time is of the essence. Last year they played deep into the fall, and they know their performances have to improve if they want to compete in October. “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

“We’re not in April or May,” Bogaerts said. “We can’t lose a couple and [say], ‘Oh, we’re going to go on a nice run later on.’ Later on is almost there.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/alex-cora-reacts-to-rays-sweep-of-red-sox

First pitch is set for 7:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on NESN, Yes and Major League Baseball Network.