Yankees at Phillies
The New York Yankees aim to pick up speed heading into their anticipated weekend series against Boston when they bid for a sweep of their three-game interleague series versus the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. The Yankees (52-25) were on the wrong end of the brooms by Tampa Bay before bouncing back with a pair of emphatic victories over the Phillies (41-36) at Citizens Bank Park.
Luis Severino became the majors' first 12-game winner and Aaron Hicks belted a leadoff homer and denied Rhys Hoskins' bid for extra bases with a leaping catch in center field during Tuesday's 6-0 romp. The 28-year-old Hicks has made himself at home on the road, batting .306 with seven homers and 20 RBIs in 30 games. While New York is looking for a split of its six-game trek, Philadelphia is bidding to snap a three-game skid by taking the finale of this set after winning each of its four previous series. Scott Kingery had a pair of singles to extend his hitting streak to seven games heading into Wednesday's game against Luis Cessa, who is being presented the spot start as a means to give veteran CC Sabathia extra rest heading into Friday's series opener against the Red Sox.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, YES (Yankees), NBCS Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Cessa (0-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Zach Eflin (5-2, 3.44)
Cessa will make his first start of the season after tossing two innings of scoreless relief in a no-decision versus Tampa Bay on Friday. The 26-year-old was making his first appearance with the Yankees since being sidelined for over two months with a strained oblique. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Cessa is expected to be "in that 70-80 pitch range" heading into his 15th career major-league start on Wednesday.
Eflin improved to 4-0 with a 2.28 ERA in his last four starts after allowing two runs in five innings in Friday's 12-2 romp at Washington. The 24-year-old has kept the ball in the park in each of those outings (23 2/3 innings) while striking out 22 against just four walks. Eflin will be facing the Yankees for the first time in his career, although Giancarlo Stanton went deep in his three plate appearances versus the hurler.
WALK-OFFS
1. Stanton is 10-for-17 with four extra-base hits (three doubles, homer) and four RBIs in his last four games.
2. Hoskins is having a series he'd like to forget, going 0-for-8 with four strikeouts while also apologizing for having a verbal confrontation with a fan in the opener.
3. Yankees RHP Adam Warren has not allowed a run in each of his last eight appearances.