Sale to make Yanks-Red Sox rivalry debut
BOSTON -- Three years ago, New York ace Masahiro Tanaka was introduced to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry when he made his debut against Boston at Fenway Park on April 22, 2014.
Tanaka will be on the mound at Fenway again Thursday when another star pitcher, Boston's Chris Sale, is introduced to one of baseball's greatest rivalries in the series finale.
New York (12-7) earned a 3-1 win Wednesday, so the Yankees will be looking to take the abbreviated two-game series.
"It's a great matchup," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Chris Sale has been extremely tough on us. It looks like he's off to another pretty good start this year the way he's thrown the ball."
Sale (1-1, 0.91 ERA) has been dominant in his first four starts since being acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a blockbuster deal last December.
The southpaw has allowed three earned runs over 29 2/3 innings this season, holding the Toronto Blue Jays scoreless on four hits and a walk with a season-high 13 strikeouts in a 4-1 win on April 20.
Sale leads the majors with 42 strikeouts.
Tanaka, meanwhile, trumps Sale in one category -- his career strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.94 is the highest in the modern era (since 1900). Sale ranks second in that category (4.83).
Against the Yankees, Sale has been lights out. He is 4-1 with a 1.17 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 10 outings (seven starts) vs. New York. That is the lowest ERA by any pitcher against the Yankees (minimum 50 innings) since earned runs became an official stat in the AL in 1913.
One Yankee has had success against Sale. Chase Headley is 5-for-13 (.385) with a pair of homers and two RBI off the five-time All-Star.
Chris Carter (2-for-13) also has a solo homer against Sale, while Aaron Hicks is 4-for-12 (.333) against him.
Tanaka (2-1, 6.00 ERA) is 5-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 10 career starts against the Red Sox and 2-1 with a 4.34 mark in five starts at Fenway Park.
The Japanese-born righty won his second consecutive start on April 19, limiting the White Sox to one run on six hits and two walks while fanning a season-best six batters.
Dustin Pedroia (7-for-23, .304), Xander Bogaerts (6-for-27, .222) and Hanley Ramirez (2-for-13, .154) have all taken Tanaka deep, while Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. (2-for-17, .118) have three RBI against him.
Boston (11-9) expects to be bolstered by the return of Pedroia, who hasn't played since Orioles third baseman Manny Machado injured him with a controversial slide at second base last Friday in Baltimore.
Pedroia, who sprained his left knee on the play, was supposed to return for the Tuesday series opener against New York, but the game was rained out.
However, Red Sox manager John Farrell ruled Pedroia out again before the Wednesday game.
"I did some activities (Tuesday), kind of tested it out a little bit. Just a little sore," Pedroia told WEEI.com. "They're just going to give me one more day and I'll be in there."
