First pitch: Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: Boston +115, New York -125, Total: 9.5

The Red Sox will be looking to win their third straight game when they face the Yankees on Tuesday.

Boston has won two straight games and four of its past six, but that doesn’t matter coming into this one. This matchup with the Yankees is all about pride, as this is one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Both teams are going to want to win this series badly, but the Yankees aren’t playing their best ball coming into this one. New York has lost four of its past seven games entering Tuesday, and the team desperately needs to get back on track fast. The Yankees know that they can’t win this series without bringing their A game, and the same goes for RHP Masahiro Tanaka (5-5, 6.34 ERA, 56 K) in this start. The righty has really struggled this season, and it’s very odd for a guy that has been a model of consistency throughout his career. If he’s not locked in for this one then it’s hard to imagine him turning things around this year. On the mound for the Red Sox, meanwhile, is LHP Drew Pomeranz (5-3, 4.24 ERA, 64 K). Pomeranz has been pitching very well for Boston as of late, so this start certainly features two guys with different confidence levels. One thing that should make New York feel well is the fact that the team is 14-2 against the money line as a favorite of -125 to -175 over the past two seasons. As for injuries, 2B Dustin Pedroia (Wrist) is out for the Red Sox and OF Jacoby Ellsbury (Concussion) is still out for the Yankees.

The Red Sox are playing well right now and Drew Pomeranz is the perfect guy to send to the hill on Tuesday. Over his past two starts, Pomeranz has allowed just three earned runs in 13 innings of work. He struck out 19 batters over those two appearances, and the lefty seems to have found the form that made him one of the best pitchers in the National League a year ago. Pomeranz has not, however, faced the Yankees in Yankee Stadium as a member of the Red Sox. That is a whole new challenge, as it’s obviously very easy to have a bad day in a bandbox like that. Offensively, the Sox will be hoping that both OF Mookie Betts (.264 BA, 9 HR, 33 RBI) and SS Xander Bogaerts (.330 BA, 2 HR, 21 RBI) can come up big in this one. Betts has really had a down year this season, and he is a guy that should creep back up towards the .300 mark this season. He is far too good of a hitter to stay where he is now. Bogaerts, meanwhile, has been great this season. Boston just needs him to keep getting on base, which hasn’t been an issue this year.

The Yankees were hoping that Tanaka’s 7.1 innings of one-run ball against the Athletics on May 26 would get him going for the rest of the season, but he came back and let up seven earned in 5.2 innings against the Orioles in the very next start. Tanaka’s stuff just has not been the same this season, and it’s starting to get pretty late in the year. There is definitely concern that he will not be able to turn it around, but he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Tanaka has been an ace throughout his entire career, so perhaps he’ll make some adjustments to make things right. Offensively, OF Aaron Judge (.324 BA, 18 HR, 41 RBI) is somebody the Yankees will be counting on here. Judge has been one of the best hitters in baseball this season, and he should be a tough matchup for Pomeranz. The Yankees could also get a spark from C Gary Sanchez (.259 BA, 6 HR, 15 RBI) here. Sanchez has just five homers in 29 games this season, and he is way too good of a power hitter for his homers to stay down. Look for him to put together a streak pretty soon, and don’t be surprised if it starts on Tuesday.