Game 115: Yankees at Red Sox

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays, now in fourth place, for being the second team humiliated by the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. The Rays are now out of the playoff picture (by .5 games). The Red Sox are four games back of the third Wild Card. They’re two games under .500. The Yankees are 2-8 in their last 10 games while the Red Sox, Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays are 4-6. Boston is in the back but pulling closer as three of the other four teams struggle a tad.

The Yankees are sending former Red Sox farmhand Frankie Montas who was traded at the deadline way back in 2013 for Jake Peavy.

July 30, 2013: Traded as part of a 3-team trade by the Boston Red Sox with Cleuluis Rondon (minors) and J.B. Wendelken to the Chicago White Sox. The Detroit Tigers sent Avisail Garcia to the Chicago White Sox. The Detroit Tigers sent Brayan Villarreal to the Boston Red Sox. The Chicago White Sox sent Jake Peavy to the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Red Sox sent José Iglesias to the Detroit Tigers.

We all know how that trade worked out. While there some very slight rumors about the Sox being interested in a Montas reunion, they looked elsewhere for pitching help, specifically to internal solutions. The righty is coming off his worst start of the season, against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he lasted just three innings while allowing six runs.

Kutter Crawford is, unfortunately, coming off his worst start of the year as well. And he faced the lowly Kansas City Royals who do not have nearly the offensive weapons of the Cardinals. In his July start against the Yankees, Crawford went five innings, allowed just 1 run, and struck out six.

Rafael Devers has been in a bit of a rut since returning from the IL with just a .154/.233/.359 slash line over the past 10 games. When he’s rolling, the Sox can get hot. With any luck, he gets back into a groove this weekend against the Yankees.