OK, I’m going to go out on the edge and make some bold predictions for this series against the Red Sox:
The Yankees will win the series and it might actually be easy. On a podcast last night, I predicated it would go five games, but I don’t feel that way today. The Red Sox pitching does not impress me. I can see the Yankees sweeping this thing, but I’ll hedge my bet and say “Yankees in four.”
The X-Factor Player in the series is Gary Sanchez. He will take command like on Wednesday night and work well with his pitchers. I’m not convinced he’ll hit much overall, yet, but I do see a clutch bloop double in a key spot this weekend. Maybe he is finally close to being “back.” Still, there will be a moment when he allows a passed ball and it looks like the end of the world. (The only reason it won’t be the end of the world is that we will already know, from reading these predictions, that the Yankees will win the series.)
Chris Sale will not last five full innings tonight. He will leave the game with the Red Sox trailing.
The first Yankees home run in the series comes from Andrew McCutchen.
Miguel Andujar is going to make a spectacular defensive play in a clutch moment this series.
Chad Green pitches in each of the first three games and ends up throwing at least four total innings. In those innings, he’ll have at least six strikeouts.
CC Sabathia does not pitch this series.
Luke Voit will have a nice series, he will hit at least one homer in Fenway, going opposite field, but his energy will continue to help spark the team
JA Happ will be brilliant tonight. Brilliant. He’ll allow one or fewer runs over at least six innings.
The Yankees will never trail in the game tonight.
At some point, Aaron Hicks will throw a runner out on the base paths.
Aroldis Chapman will close at least two of the games, but one will be a high-wire act with the tying runs on base.
Aaron Judge will not homer, nor will Giancarlo Stanton. (In the next series they will.)
Brett Gardner, put into the game for defensive reasons, will bat in a big spot late in a game and deliver a clutch double.
Dellin Betances will strikeout five of the six batters he faces in the series.
While there will be some worrisome moments, in the end, the Yankees will win this series rather easily…
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