MLB Game Preview - NY Yankees at Boston

Sat Jul 27, 2019 4:05 PM EDT

The New York Yankees still have the largest division lead in the American League, but it sure hasn't felt that way against the Boston Red Sox this weekend.

Two games into their first trip to Boston this season, the Yankees have been outscored 29-8. CC Sabathia will take the mound looking to reverse their fortunes as the rivals meet again Saturday for the third contest of their four-game set.

Sabathia (5-5, 4.50 ERA) will look to buck a disturbing trend, as New York starters have failed to pitch past the fourth inning in six straight games. The group's cumulative ERA in that time is 17.86.

"It's obviously been a rough week for us," said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. "All we can do is dive in and do the best we can and try to tighten things up and get things corrected."

Making things more difficult is the way the Red Sox have been swinging the bat, led by Mookie Betts, who proved he's officially rediscovered his 2018 AL MVP form with a three-homer game Friday.

"He's been grinding, to say the least," manager Alex Cora said of the outfielder. "He keeps telling me, 'I don't know what happened,' and I'm glad that's his answer because last year he really never thought about anything. Just go out there, compete and perform."

Betts and the Red Sox are giving the Yankees plenty to think about on the mound of late. Boston has scored at least eight runs in its last five games against New York, a franchise record.

Further, the Red Sox have scored 58 runs total in those contests, hitting .405 with 23 doubles and 16 home runs. Three regular members of their lineup (J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr.) are hitting over .400 against New York on the season. And that doesn't include red-hot third baseman Rafael Devers, whose 32 RBIs in July are the most by a Red Sox in a single month since David Ortiz in July 2006 (35).

"He's a grown man-child," said Red Sox rookie Michael Chavis of Devers, who is nearly a year younger than Chavis despite playing his third season in the majors.

Sabathia has largely pitched well against Boston for his career, going 18-14 with a 4.15 ERA in 43 starts. The veteran left-hander has been scuffling of late, though, with a 6.35 ERA in three starts this month.

Last time out, Sabathia gave up seven runs (six earned) on six hits in four innings in a loss to the Minnesota Twins.

For the Red Sox, fellow southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez (12-4, 4.10) will look to continue a recent hot streak that has him in position to tie for the AL lead in wins. Rodriguez is 8-1 with a 3.03 ERA in his last 11 starts and has earned the victory in each of his last four outings.

Rodriguez struck out six over seven scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays his last turn. For his career, he's 5-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) opposite New York.

--Field Level Media