Andrew Benintendi will see the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry from a different perspective on Friday when the American League East rivals begin a three-game series at Fenway Park.
Benintendi is returning to Boston for the first time since he was traded as part of a three-team swap from the Red Sox to the Kansas City Royals in February 2021. He was injured and did not play for the Royals when they visited Boston last season.
“Obviously, the series are intense. And the fans are really into it. As are we,” Benintendi said, per the New York Daily News. “For me, I think, it’ll be the same as it was — intense. But I’ll just be on the other side.”
Benintendi, who spent his first five major league seasons with the Red Sox, overcame a sluggish start with the Yankees to heat up of late. He rebounded from a 2-for-25 performance in his first nine games with New York by going 5-for-15 with three RBIs and three runs over his last four.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, they have lost seven of their last eight games.
“We know we’re going to be fine in the long run,” catcher Kyle Higashioka said following New York’s 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
“But it gets more and more frustrating every day that we don’t come out and win. We’re definitely not satisfied with that. This is the time of the season where you’ve got to dig deep and really pull it together because it’s a long year, and it only gets tougher as it goes on. We’re going to dig a little deeper.”
Aaron Judge belted his majors-best 45th homer of the season in the seventh inning on Wednesday.
Judge is batting .400 (28 for 70) with 12 homers, 29 RBIs and 20 runs since the All-Star break. The slugger is hitting .308 (12 for 39) with two homers, five RBIs and nine runs against Boston this season.
Judge has hit well against Friday’s scheduled starter Nathan Eovaldi (5-3, 4.23 ERA), going 9-for-26 with one homer and two RBIs.
Eovaldi, 32, has surrendered three homers in a pair of no-decisions against New York this season. He is 3-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 17 career appearances (14 starts) versus the Yankees.
New York will counter with right-hander Domingo German (1-2, 5.09), who sustained a hard-luck loss in his last outing. He permitted one run on four hits in five innings of a 1-0 setback at the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.
German, 30, is 2-2 with a 4.04 ERA in 10 career appearances (eight starts) against Boston.
The Red Sox have struggled mightily versus AL East representatives this season. However, they recorded their first series win versus the division with a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. The win in the one-game series improved Boston to 1-11-1 in sets versus AL East foes.
The Red Sox, who reside on the outside looking in during the chase for a wild-card spot, posted just their second win in their last eight games.
“I know the math doesn’t help us,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “When teams are playing against each other, we have to win, and we haven’t done that for a month. We’re still there. The guys know it.”
–Field Level Media
