5 Reasons You Have to Be Glued to Yankees vs. Red Sox This Weekend

With just one weekend of baseball before this year's Midsummer Classic, we have an opportunity to watch baseball's biggest rivalry take center stage, as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox face off in a four-game series with plenty at stake.

Any time these two teams meet there are fireworks, and you can bet it will be much of the same this time around as the Red Sox look to get back into contention in the AL East, while the Yankees would love nothing more that to deliver the knockout blow.

Here are just a few reasons that we can all expect to see some compelling baseball at Fenway this weekend.

Red Sox Could Pull to Within Striking Distance...

The Red Sox have improved from the slow start they saw earlier this spring, but still find themselves in fourth place in the AL East, 7.5 games behind the Yankees.

Taking a series sweep would mean the Sox could pull to within 3.5 of the division lead and give them all the momentum in the world as they head into the second half of the season.

...or Turn Themselves into Sellers at the Deadline

Just as much as Bobby Valentine and the Boston Red Sox would like to take all four games in the series to get themselves back into contention, the New York Yankees would like to step on their throats and send them into the break on the worst note possible.

If the Yankees can manage a sweep, the Sox will find themselves 11.5 games out in the division with no sort of momentum in their favor, further hindering their chances as they come out of the break next week.

Series Sets the Tone for the Second Half

As mentioned, the fates of both teams can be greatly impacted depending on how this four game series pans out, and while the teams will be catching up on rest after this weekend, they will be thrust back into action right out of the break.

The Yankees come out of the break with six games against two potent offenses in the Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays, while the Red Sox head to Tampa Bay for a three-game series before visiting former teammate Kevin Youkilis and first place Chicago for a four-game set.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

It seems like any time the Red Sox and Yankees meet up, the whole country knows about it, as ESPN and all other national outlets put them front and center in the world of sports.

For that very reason it seems somewhat odd that the two teams have only faced off twice in the season's first half, making for that much more excitement in this weekend's series.

Baseball's Best Rivalry

We've seen it time and time again, but it's always worth noting that while on paper these are just divisional matchups, they're far more than that to the players.

No matter who you talk to in either clubhouse, there's always an electric atmosphere that brings out the best (and sometimes the worst) in these two storied franchises.

You can't predict what will happen with this weekend's four-game series, but there's no doubting that it will be an entertaining send-off to the season's first half.