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New York Yankees: Yanks vs Red Sox series preview, matchups, and predictions

By Matthew Travis

(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MAY 08: Gleyber Torres #25 of the New York Yankees is tagged out by Christian Vazquez #7 of the Boston Red Sox trying to score on Aaron Judge #99 single in the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium on May 8, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 08: Gleyber Torres #25 of the New York Yankees is tagged out by Christian Vazquez #7 of the Boston Red Sox trying to score on Aaron Judge #99 single in the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium on May 8, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

Thursday night, the New York Yankees will kick off a four-game set against the Red Sox which could completely shift the American League East and the American League as a whole.

After a loss to the Orioles on Wednesday afternoon, the New York Yankees now trail the Red Sox by 5.5 games in the AL East.

With a four game set starting Thursday in Boston, the Yankees have a chance to make the possibility of catching the Red Sox more realistic, or next to impossible.

If the Yankees were to sweep Boston they would trail Boston by only a game and a half while also giving them a 9-4 season series lead with only six games left in the series.

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This means if the Yankees and Red Sox were to finish the season tied atop the AL East, there is a good chance the Yankees would win the division due to the season series tiebreaker.

With that being said, this could very well be the most important series of the season for the Yankees.

In only four games they have the chance to turn their deficit from 5.5 games to 1.5 games, make their season series lead over the Red Sox 9-4, and establish their dominance in the East.

However, say the Red Sox were to sweep the Yankees, then what?

If the Red Sox sweep the series that would give them a 9.5 game lead over the Yanks in addition to an 8-5 lead in the season series. This series could either be fantastic, or catastrophic for the Yankees, and it all depends on which team shows up.

If the Yankees capitalize on this chance without Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez there is a good chance they keep it going once Judge and Sanchez eventually get back. But, if the Yankees want to catch the Red Sox in the East they’ll need to fare well over the next four games.

So let’s dive into game one and take a look at the pitching matchup and give our prediction.

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