Yankees at Red Sox
Four days after starting the All-Star Game for the American League, Chris Sale will make his first start of the second half of the season Saturday afternoon when he leads the Boston Red Sox into the second of four games with the visiting New York Yankees. Sale went into the break leading the majors in strikeouts (178) while ranking near the top of a number of other major statistical categories.
Included in his phenomenal first half was a 10-strikeout performance over eight innings against the Yankees on April 27, which left him with a 1.31 ERA in 11 career meetings (eight starts) against New York. Sale's first-place club opened a 4 1/2-game lead over the Yankees with a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning in Friday's series opener, handing closer Aroldis Chapman the loss in the latest bullpen disaster for New York, which has lost five straight one-run games. The Yankees have dropped 19 of 26 overall, their deficit in the division matches a season high and they learned Friday that starter Michael Pineda is a candidate for Tommy John surgery. That would put more pressure on pitchers like Luis Severino, who will get the nod opposite Sale on Saturday.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1, YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (5-4, 3.54 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Chris Sale (11-4, 2.75)
Severino entered the break on a high note after fanning 10 in seven solid frames against Milwaukee last Saturday. He has 29 strikeouts against three walks over his last three starts and is fourth in the AL (Sale is first) with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.59. The 23-year-old spun seven scoreless innings in a win at Fenway Park on April 26 but is 1-3 with a 4.07 ERA in five career games (four starts) versus Boston.
Sale dropped his first-half finale after giving up four runs in seven innings at Tampa Bay on July 6, although he was electric at times and finished with 12 strikeouts and no walks. The lanky six-time All-Star has won five straight starts at home and has a 2.34 ERA in eight appearances at Fenway Park this year. Former Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is 0-for-9 with seven strikeouts and Brett Gardner is 1-for-10 with five strikeouts against Sale.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston designated 3B Pablo Sandoval for assignment Friday and promoted top prospect 3B Rafael Devers to Triple-A Pawtucket.
2. Boston DH Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer Friday and is batting .365 with four home runs in 12 games since missing three contests due to a knee issue.
3. The teams cap the series with a doubleheader Sunday.