Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees

Since Sale is considered by many to be the best strikeout pitcher in baseball, the Yankee chances against Sale look pretty bleak.

Led by Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts, the Red Sox lineup still lacks the power it sought last season after losing David Ortiz, but has hit well in the clutch. Boston’s other two wins were against the equally woeful Miami Marlins.

The Red Sox and Yankees meet for the first time in 2018 this week at Fenway Park and we should witness pitchers’ duels Tuesday and Wednesday.

Boston ended last season by losing four of the last six meetings versus NY and then saw its biggest rival advance to the American League Championship Series in the postseason. In seven games against divisional foes, Red Sox starters have an ERA of 1.71 and the bullpen’s ERA is 5.09.

Yankees fans haven’t been pleased with the $325 million man’s start, but a strong series against the Sox can morph those boos into cheers faster than you can say, “He makes how much!?” He’s also looking for his first win of the season. Finally, Tony talked about Alex Cora’s honesty. He is, however, 2-for-7 versus Joe Kelly, and against closer Craig Kimbrel, Stanton is an anemic 1-for-8 with three strikeouts.

He has looked quite good through two starts this season, with a 2.84 ERA in 12.2 IP. The under is also 5-2 in Severino’s last seven starts against the Red Sox.

Despite Sale going for Boston, I see plenty of value in NY. New York’s +11 run differential is 5th in the AL, signaling they’ve played better than their record shows. Actually, after watching both teams play, they look more like teams comprised of minor leaguers and washed-up veterans than real Major League Baseball teams. But getting to them has been a bit of an issue. Boston has its gaze fixed on loftier goals, and that starts with dispatching what will nearly certainly its chief competition throughout the regular season. Whereas the strength of the Sox is Cy Young-level left-handed pitching, the Yankees main asset is the most powerful right-handed line-up in recent memory.

After dealing with plenty of boo-birds after dropping three of four games at home to Baltimore last week, the Yankees may be happy to be hitting the road for their next six games.

At least for NY, their late-inning aces David Robertson and Dellin Betances have been solid as of late. Severino gave up one run in two starts, and has been dominant again to open the season. They have won eight in a row to produce the first 8-1 start in franchise history.

We all remember the glory days when not only did the Yankees and Red Sox field great teams but there was more, there was a grudge.

Giancarlo Stanton’s first at-bat at Fenway Park as a member of the New York Yankees didn’t go too well.

Stanton has struggled at the plate, yielding 20 strikeouts in 42 at-bats to go along with an insipid.167 batting average. He struck out five times on Sunday, the second time he’s done that this season.

Stanton and slugger Aaron Judge are expected to set records as the new Bronx Bombers.

I’m not sure if there was any actual closing of lips and expelling of air going on at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, since that sort of thing has largely gone out of style.

But nothing will get Yankee fans to stop booing like a series win over the Red Sox, even if it is only April. Not only that but there have been two instances where Giancarlo Stanton struck out five times in a single game and failed to get a hit in that game.