New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox Betting Preview, Matchup Stats

Despite a rough first half of the season, the Boston Red Sox (41-45) will try to close the gap on the American League East-leading New York Yankees (46-39) in a key three-game series at Fenway Park before baseball's All-Star break.

The Red Sox have won eight of their last 10 games and can pull to within 2.5 games of the Yankees for the division lead with a weekend sweep.

Although Boston finished dead last in the AL East a year ago, experts favored the club to finish first heading into the season. In fact, the Red Sox had 10-1 odds to win the World Series at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. The Red Sox are currently 25-1 compared to 16-1 for the Yankees, who have won two in a row and were 40-1 back on April 15.

Boston’s top three starting pitchers are set to go against New York, beginning with ace Clay Buchholz (7-6, 3.27 ERA) Friday.

Buchholz has won each of his last four starts, allowing just three combined runs in a total of 31 innings with only two walks and 23 strikeouts. He is also 5-0 with two no-decisions in his past seven trips to the mound overall, and the under is 9-1-2 in his previous 12 outings, according to the Odds Shark MLB database.

The Yankees will counter with Michael Pineda (8-5, 3.79 ERA), who is 2-2 in four career starts against the Red Sox. Pineda had his best start of the season last time out against the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday, pitching seven scoreless innings with one walk and 10 strikeouts in a 3-2 victory. The under is 3-1 in his past four starts heading into Friday's Yankees vs. Red Sox betting matchup, according to Odds Shark.

New York will then go with Ivan Nova (1-2, 2.65 ERA), who has been solid in his three starts this year despite posting a losing record. Nova is coming off his worst outing of the season, though, a game against the Tampa Bay Rays last Sunday in which he gave up three earned runs and six hits in five innings of an eventual 8-1 loss with three walks and one strikeout.

Boston’s Eduardo Rodriguez (4-2, 3.69 ERA) gets the call Saturday against Nova. He is 1-2 with a 7.08 ERA in four starts versus divisional opponents.

On Sunday, Wade Miley (8-7, 4.50 ERA) will go to the hill for the Red Sox in the series finale trying to add to his team-high win total. Nathan Eovaldi (8-2, 4.45 ERA) will attempt to do the same for the Yankees, as he was tied with Pineda for wins going into the weekend.