The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees rivalry headlines Friday's MLB schedule. Boston will travel to New York as both teams look to get off to a fast start in 2015 after missing the postseason last year. The weekend series will open at 7:05 p.m. ET tonight.
While the Red Sox managed to take two out of three games from the Phillies this week, the Yankees dropped two of three to the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays in the Bronx thanks to shaky starts from Masahiro Tanaka and CC Sabathia. However, they'll get a look at one of their new arms tonight.
Nathan Eovaldi, who New York acquired in an offseason trade with the Miami Marlins, will take the mound for the Yankees in his team and season debut. The hard-throwing right-hander spent the last two-plus seasons with the Marlins, but made only 22 starts in 2012 and 18 in 2013 before logging 33 last season. Eovaldi gave up the most hits in the National League (223) and finished 6-14 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.
However, general manager Brian Cashman is confident in the stuff Eovaldi has and hopes he can take it to the next level after working with catcher Brian McCann and pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Among the factors that will help New York make the playoffs, Cashman believes Eovaldi needs to be a dominant pitcher.
Tonight will be a true test for the right-hander, who has never faced the Red Sox in his career.
Speaking of newcomers, Red Sox pitcher Wade Miley was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the offseason and has also been in the league for only four seasons. The left-hander will make his 2015 debut with Boston as part of a new starting rotation that consists of offseason acquisitions Rick Porcello, Justin Masterson and Joe Kelly.
Miley finished 8-12 with a 4.34 ERA and 1.401 WHIP in 33 starts last season as a member of the league's worst team. Perhaps the new change of scenery will help him return to the way he was pitching in 2012 and 2013, during which he amassed a 26-21 record with a 3.44 ERA in 65 games (62 starts). He'll also have much more help on the offensive side of the ball in Boston, unlike Eovaldi, who actually may have downgraded in going from Miami to New York.
The Bronx Bombers' offense has looked dismal in the first three games of the season, even against Toronto's mediocre pitching staff. They faced 24-year-old Drew Hutchison, rookie Daniel Norris and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, but managed to score only eight runs on 17 hits in those three contests.
Nonetheless, the Yankees finished with a 12-7 record against the Red Sox last season and hope to continue that success, especially since they hope to avoid their third consecutive season falling short of the playoffs.
The Red Sox high-powered offense looks to change that as they boast Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez as well as prospect Mookie Betts in their lineup. And let's not forget about David Ortiz, who has crushed New York throughout his career.
Check out the live stream for tonight's game here as well as the live radio broadcast for the Yankees here and the Red Sox here.
