The Sox and Yankees will clash for the first time this season at Fenway Park, tied for second place and two games behind Toronto in the American League East. The series will allow one of the rivals to seize an early and potentially crucial edge.
With the Rays providing a new threat despite their current residency in last place, Red Sox-Yankees series now mean more than sending pre-playoff salvos. With three elite teams in one division vying for two playoff berths, each game could provide the margin for making or missing the postseason.
The Sox downplayed the importance of their opponent, not surprising given the calendar. Kevin Youkilis claimed he was focused more on planning his offday than preparing for the Yankees.
"I know who's coming," manager Terry Francona said. "As teams are coming, you've got to pay attention a little bit. See who's swinging, who's not, what's going on. Other than that, I guess I just hope we win. I like playing everybody."
After last year's disparity, the Yankees and Red Sox have the same record (9-6) and the same number of runs (84) through 15 games. The Yankees have allowed gobs more, but that total would be closer to the Sox' if deposed starter Chien-Ming Wang had been merely bad as opposed to awful. With parity having likely returned, here are four other story lines that will shape the series.
1. Welcoming Tex: The first showdown of this season's Red Sox-Yankees rivalry took place before 2009 arrived, when Mark Teixeira chose the Yankees over the Red Sox. Both teams vied for Teixeira before the Yankees landed the offseason's largest prize, and Teixeira's decision made him the rivalry's newest villain.
When he strides to the plate tonight batting third in the top of the first inning (estimated time of at-bat: 7:18 p.m.), the cascade of boos will likely surpass any roar Fenway has produced this season. Teixeira's profile, though, has dwarfed his production.
Fighting an ailing left wrist that forced him to miss three games, Teixeira is hitting .222 with three home runs. Catcher Jason Varitek said he had yet to research Teixeira's tendencies, but he seemed to suggest Teixeira's impact on the Yankees' lineup was overrated.
