Yankees at Red Sox
The Red Sox signed David Price for big moments such as anytime they play the Yankees, and the ace left-hander gets his first taste of the rivalry when Boston tries for a three-game sweep at home against New York on Sunday night. The Red Sox paid a hefty price to land the former Cy Young Award winner and five-time All-Star - $217 million for seven years - and Price said he won't treat this start any differently as he attempts to improve on his 13-7 career record versus the Yankees.
“I can’t go out there with negative thoughts or hatred for someone,’’ Price told reporters. “I don’t need added adrenaline. I don’t treat any team differently. I go out there and think they’re all All-Stars.” Boston's David Ortiz announced that he will retire at the end of the season, but the 40-year-old should reconsider after hitting home runs in the first two games of the series - giving him 49 versus New York - while going 4-for-7 to raise his average to .321 this season. While the Red Sox have won six of their last seven games, the Yankees have lost four straight and scored nine runs while dropping five of six and seeing their six-series winning streak at Fenway Park snapped. Nathan Eovaldi takes the ball for New York after no-hitting Texas for six innings in his last start en route to his first victory of the season.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 4.38 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH David Price (3-0, 5.76)
Eovaldi allowed two hits and two walks while striking out six in seven innings of a 3-1 victory in Texas on Monday and has recorded 28 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings this season. ''He was amazing. His split ... anything that started at your thigh went straight to the ground,'' the Rangers' Prince Fielder told reporters about the 26-year-old Texan. Eovaldi is 2-0 with a 4.24 ERA in three starts versus Boston, and only Hanley Ramirez has done much damage (5-for-13, home run, four RBIs) among active Red Sox.
Price matched a career high with 14 strikeouts in eight innings of an 11-4 victory in Atlanta on Tuesday, lowering his ERA 1.30 after allowing two runs and increasing his strikeout total to 46 in 29 2/3 frames this season. “I don’t care about strikeouts, man. That doesn’t mean anything to me,” the 30-year-old Tennessee native, who permitted eight runs in 3 2/3 innings in his previous start, told reporters. “I want to be able to go out there and pitch as deep as I can in the baseball game. I want to get 27 outs every five days. Twenty-four is good.” Price struggles against Brian McCann (10-for-29, three home runs) and Chase Headley (8-for-19) but fares better versus Alex Rodriguez (14-for-59, 24 strikeouts) and Mark Teixeira (13-for-64, three homers).
WALK-OFFS
1. New York 2B Starlin Castro (.305) is 9-for-20 in his last six games and is the only Yankee regular hitting better than .262.
2. Boston OF Jackie Bradley recorded two triples while going 3-for-3 with three RBIs in Saturday's 8-0 victory and is 10-for-27 with nine RBIs during his seven-game hitting streak.
3. The Red Sox recalled INF Marco Hernandez from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned RHP Pat Light prior to Saturday's game.