Yankees at Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are feeling the absence of David Ortiz in the middle of the lineup as they struggle to generate offense of late. One team happy to see Ortiz drift off into retirement is the New York Yankees, who were frequent victims of the slugger's clutch hits and have a chance to earn a rain-abbreviated two-game sweep of the Red Sox when they visit Fenway Park on Thursday.
Boston led the majors in runs in Ortiz's final season in 2016 but sits in the bottom half of the league almost a month into 2017 despite a lineup that still includes MVP candidate Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez and Xander Bogaerts. The Red Sox totaled 13 runs in the last six games and are 6-for-42 with runners in scoring position in that span, including 0-for-7 in Wednesday's 3-1, series-opening loss. The Yankees weren't much better on Wednesday (1-for-5 with runners in scoring position) but got the big hit when they needed it with rookie Aaron Judge's seventh home run. Judge will face a tougher task on Thursday as Boston sends ace Chris Sale to the mound against New York ace Masahiro Tanaka.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (2-1, 6.00 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Chris Sale (1-1, 0.91)
Tanaka is coming off his best start of the young season after limiting the Chicago White Sox to one run and six hits over seven innings on April 19. The Japan native won his last two starts while allowing four runs in 13 1/3 innings after surrendering 10 runs across 7 2/3 frames in his first two turns. Tanaka went 1-0 with a 1.83 ERA in three starts against Boston last season and has been tough on Betts (3-for-18), Bogaerts (6-for-27) and Ramirez (2-for-13) in his career.
Sale has been everything the Red Sox thought they were getting when they sent four prospects to the White Sox in exchange for the perennial Cy Young candidate over the winter. Sale struck out 13 and scattered four hits over eight scoreless innings last Thursday at Toronto and owns 42 strikeouts against six walks in 29 2/3 innings. The Florida Gulf Coast product dominates New York, posting a 4-1 record with a 1.17 ERA in 10 career appearances - seven starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia (knee) could return after missing the last three games.
2. New York 1B Greg Bird went 1-for-3 on Wednesday, matching his hit total from the previous six games.
3. Boston LHP David Price (elbow) is expected to throw to live batters on Saturday after coming out of a bullpen session with no setbacks.