As the pennant races start to heat up, Big League Stew will be there to take a closer look at some of the biggest series down the stretch.
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The situation: The two AL behemoths on the eastern seaboard meet for a three-game series with the division lead on the line. Both teams are tied in the standings with identical records of 68-42. The Yankees have won seven straight games to catch the Red Sox in first and are coming off a four-game road sweep of the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox just split a four-game series at home with the Cleveland Indians and are 4-4 over their last eight.
Previously on: The Red Sox have had the Yankees' number all season long, winning eight of their previous nine meetings this season. Overall, Boston has taken 15 of the last 20 games in the series.
What's left: It seems like this should wrap the season series up, but there are two more meetings scheduled: Aug. 31-Sept. 1 at Yankee Stadium and a return to Fenway Park from Sept. 23-25.
For starters: Bartolo Colon and Jon Lester go tonight, followed by a CC Sabathia and John Lackey mismatch on Saturday and Freddy Garcia-Josh Beckett matchup on Sunday night.
Does this really even matter? With both teams holding an eight-game edge over the next AL wild card competitor (the Angels), it looks like we're heading for another foregone conclusion of a pennant race in the AL East. So it's hard not to agree with The Postgame's Cam Martin ? a Red Sox fan! ? and say this rivalry has become an unrivaled yawn.
The Globe's Pete Abraham, however, tries to make the case that there is an advantage in winning the series because the loser may not have to face the Texas Rangers during the first round. The Red Sox are also 6-16 against the Rangers over the last three years, Pete points out. I see the point, but the truth is that there's no easy route to the World Series. The Yankees thought they caught a break being matched against the Twins in last year's ALDS, but won and had to play the Rangers anyway. And how'd getting homefield against the Rangers work out for the Tampa Bay Rays again?
Pitching gripes: All three aces ? Lester, Beckett and Sabathia ? are scheduled to pitch this series, which is a good thing. But expect the other starters to control a lot of the headlines in this one. Colon has pitched well after a short hiccup ? he's 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA over his last three starts ? but will remain a question, fairly or not, because of his age, weight and injury history. Lackey, meanwhile, has been torched by every team not named the Seattle Mariners but remains in a Red Sox rotation in need of bodies. The Saturday game could turn ugly if a red-hot Yankees offense starts to feast.
Has New Era released another John Krasinski-Alec Baldwin ad? You bet.
Speaking of betting, will we be seeing A-Rod? Not unless you go down to Florida, where he just began his rehab on Thursday. It's expected he'll be back with the Yankees in mid-August, but you can be sure the national TV audiences will be hearing a lot about him from the Fox and ESPN broadcast crews.
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