Yankees and Red Sox begin pivotal four-game series

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox renew their storied rivalry this weekend with a pivotal four-game series at Yankee Stadium, beginning Friday night. The matchup carries significant implications for the American League East playoff picture, as the second-place Yankees hold a slim two-game lead over the third-place Red Sox.

The series opens at 7:15 p.m. ET on Friday, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, August 29, and concludes on Sunday, August 30. The Yankees enter with a 75-58 record, while the Red Sox are 73-60. Both teams are chasing the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays, with New York four games back and Boston six games behind.

A key storyline is the pitching matchup for the opener, featuring Yankees ace Cam Schlittler against Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval. Schlittler, a 25-year-old Walpole, Massachusetts native, has emerged as an American League Cy Young Award candidate with an 11-6 record and a 2.16 ERA. His start was pushed back from Thursday to align with the Boston series after pitcher Ryan Weathers was placed on the injured list. Sandoval, making his ninth start since returning from elbow surgery, holds a 12-4 record with a 4.54 ERA.