BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 14: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees goes into a slide against the Boston Red Sox during the game at Fenway Park on September 14, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images Anytime the Yankees show up on the schedule, regardless of the standings, it presents an opportunity for either a dramatic shift in mood, or a dramatic amplification of whatever mood is already in place. Tonight is no different as the Red Sox and Yankees meet for the first time in 2026 with the Red Sox off to a horrible start, but still somehow only four games behind New York.
The good news for the Red Sox is they have the pitching advantage on paper tonight. The bad news is each game of the series presents a more unfavorable matchup on the mound. In other words, it would greatly behoove the Sox to grab this game tonight as a loss tonight could quickly start mounting the deficit by Thursday.
For Early, this matchup also presents an opportunity to turn the page on last year’s loss in New York during Game 3 of the Wild Card series when he was thrown into the fire just four starts into his major league career and outpitched by the extremely unlikeable Cam Schlittler. Lineup wise, the odd man out in the latest chapter of the “five guys don’t fit into four spots” saga is once again Jarren Duran. Masataka Yoshida will bat third as the DH, and Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu once again make up what’s establishing itself as the best version of the Red Sox outfield.It’s Red Sox vs.
Yankees, and even on a cold Tuesday night in April, there’s still nothing else quite like it! Today’s LineupsYANKEESRED SOXAmed Rosario – 3BRoman Anthony – LFAaron Judge – RFWillson Contreras – 1BBen Rice – 1BMasataka Yoshida – DHGiancarlo Stanton – DHWilyer Abreu – RFCody Bellinger – CFTrevor Story – SSRandal Grichuk – LFCeddanne Rafaela – CFJazz Chisholm – 2BMarcelo Mayer – 2BJose Caballero – SSCaleb Durbin – 3BAustin Wells – CCarlos Narvaez – CLuis Gil – RHPConnelly Early – LHP⚾️ First Pitch: 6:45 pm – Fenway Park📺 TV: NESN+📻 Radio: WEEI