Hello… Bad Teams vs. Playoff Teams

Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. Listen, I am just as frustrated as the next guy, and I totally understand your issues… but some fans need to chill the hell out. No, I didn’t like the Yankees getting beat by the White Sox on Monday night, and no I didn’t like having to walk off against them on Tuesday night. This team should dominate Chicago much like they did Baltimore over the weekend, but at the same time who is really surprised? And why are you concerned?

The Yankees have a great record against current and potential playoff teams in the American League this season, and those are the teams they will be facing in the postseason. Not the bad teams that they are frustratingly struggling against night in and night out… so chill, and enjoy the rest of the season, because before long it will all be gone, and nothing but empty news days and hot stove rumors will be in its place.

Yankees record against current and potential AL playoff teams in 2018: 20-13

Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, and Oakland Athletics.

And to my Kari Ann, I love you with all my heart. I always have, and I always will. There is no Dan without Kari. I love you.

Playoff Teams Beat the Teams They Are SUPPOSED to Beat

No one wants to see the New York Yankees on their upcoming schedule right now, let’s be honest. The team is rolling despite multiple injuries, slumping stars in the middle of the lineup and despite having rookies at key positions, which was apparently a “no-no” before the season began. The team is on fire and as it stands right now the team could play .500 baseball for the remainder of the season and still be in the hunt for the postseason. Why? It isn’t just good starting pitching, a stellar bullpen (especially lately), a juggernaut of an offense when it’s clicking on all cylinders, and a crop of young stars. It is also because the Yankees beat the teams they are supposed to beat, just like a good playoff team would.

Entering the weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays the New York Yankees were 29-13 against the teams they were “supposed” to beat on paper while the team also put up an impressive 15-6 record against potential 2018 playoff teams. That’s a staggering number compared to the Boston Red Sox who have a record of 37-16 against these same teams they should beat on paper, while also posting a 10-6 record against potential 2018 playoff contenders. The Red Sox have had 11 more “easier” games than the Yankees have had thus far here in 2018 heading into the weekend.

The Yankees have steamrolled teams like the Cleveland Indians (3-0), the Minnesota Twins (4-0), the Tampa Bay Rays (2-0), and the Toronto Blue Jays (7-3) while holding their own against the Boston Red Sox (3-3), the Houston Astros (5-2) and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (5-1) pre-Ohtani injury. The team has 17 games left with the Tampa Bay Rays, 13 games left with the Baltimore Orioles, 9 games left with the Toronto Blue Jays, three more games with the New York Mets, four more games with the Kansas City Royals, six games with the Chicago White Sox, four games with the Texas Rangers, two more games with the Miami Marlins, and four games left with the Detroit Tigers for one of the “easier” schedules left remaining here in 2018.

With all that said, the strength of schedule will even out, and I truly think we will see the New York Yankees on top of the American League East Division when it is all said and done. Sure, the Boston Red Sox are a hell of a team and will be there all season long, but I think at least some of their early season success can be attributed to simply beating the teams they are supposed to beat… much like the Yankees will do for the remainder of the season.

Stay tuned, it is going to be a fun summer here in the Bronx. All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.

So it Seems… Happy Saturday Morning

Good morning all and happy Saturday. Welcome to the weekend, officially. I hope everyone had a great night of sleep and a great work week, and if you didn’t then I hope you make up for it on the weekend. There’s just two games left during the regular season before the playoffs and before the eventual and inevitable long winter ahead. Don’t worry, I won’t tell you to brace yourselves… that winter is coming. I won’t make any jokes about winter already being here either, or dead dragons, or even men named Snow. I’ll just tell you good morning and I’ll thank you for checking in with the blog each and every day.

Especially you. HEY YOU. Good morning beautiful. I love you. 

So it Seems… Don’t Be Content w/ the Wild Card

Good morning everyone, I hope everyone reading this is safe, happy and well this morning. Over the weekend as we all saw and witnessed the New York Yankees clinched their first playoff appearance since the 2015 AL Wild Card Game, a loss to Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros, with a victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees players celebrated inside the Rogers Centre clubhouse, and they should have, after clinching the spot but I truly hope the team isn’t about to get complacent now that the playoffs are a guarantee in the Bronx. I truly hope this team is not content with the Wild Card and I truly hope this team still has that pesky Boston Red Sox team lined up down their sights no matter what the standings and mathematicians say.

Don’t get me wrong I am ecstatic to see the Yankees in the postseason in 2017, I’m a fan and I predicted it to happen when many didn’t, but I go back to the word complacent. I don’t want to see the Yankees getting complacent now that they are in the postseason. This isn’t the time to let up, not even a little bit, but this is the time to push harder than you have all season long. Not always does the best team necessarily win their respective pennants and the World Series but sometimes it is merely the hottest or deepest team at that time, let that be the Yankees here in 2017.

I will fall short of saying World Series or bust for this team but I have to admit I’ll be a little disappointed if the team has to settle for a Wild Card berth, and a lot disappointed if they don’t win the Wild Card Playoff round. I would personally use that disappointment and play like I have a chip on my shoulder but hey, that’s just me. Enjoy the day everyone and let’s start off another series win tonight in the Bronx against the Tampa Bay Rays. Go Yankees!

And hey you, don’t think I could ever forget about you. I loves you!!!

So it Seems… Next Week is Tough

Good morning everyone and Happy Thursday.

Next week will be a tough one for the New York Yankees. After the team finishes their three-game set with the Detroit Tigers this afternoon the team will return home to play host to the Seattle Mariners for a three-game weekend set. After the weekend set the Yankees will have a case of the Monday’s as they welcome in the Cleveland Indians for three-games before the final four games against the Boston Red Sox during the 2017 regular season. Needless to say next week is going to be tough for the New York Yankees. The schedule eases up a bit the week after and for the remainder of the 2017 season, more on that later, but this may be the week that makes or breaks the Yankees chances at the American League East Division crown. Stay tuned to see how everything turns out.

This weekend will be a tough one for me specifically because it’s my first weekend away from you. We will get through it like we always do but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I love you. HEY YOU.

Everyone have a great day!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Houston Astros 7/1

Welcome to July baseball Yankees family and welcome back to Minute Maid Park in Houston where the Houston Astros will play host to the New York Yankees in the second of a three-game weekend set. These may very well be the top two, and most injured, teams in all of the American League which can be fun and at the same time extremely frustrating for the fans. In today’s contest the Yankees will send out Jordan Montgomery to the mound looking to get the Yankees back atop first place in the American League East Division and atop the division to stay while the Astros will counter with Francis Martes.

Montgomery has been great in his last three starts for the Yankees posting a 2-0 record with a 3.44 ERA. Montgomery has had his highs and lows this season as should be expected from any rookie pitcher but he has been consistent more times than not and has given the Yankees valuable innings at the back end of the starting rotation.

Martes will be making just his fourth start of his MLB career tonight and his first start against the New York Yankees, no pressure. In Martes’ last outing he allowed two runs on two hits and four walks only lasting a total of two innings against the Seattle Mariners. Yeah, more of that tonight against the Bronx Bombers please.

The game will be played at 7:15 pm ET inside Minute Maid Park and can be seen on FOX. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio for this game and all season long by tuning into WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman. Say what you will about the “Mr. and Ms. Baseball” broadcast but I’ve always enjoyed hearing Sterling’s commentary, gaffs and home run calls. Enjoy the game. Go Yankees!!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles 6/10

Saturday night baseball in the Bronx, let’s get to it as the New York Yankees remain home to play host to Buck Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles. In this second game of their three-game weekend set the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound to face off with Chris Tillman for the O’s. The game will be played at 7:15 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on FOX. You can also follow along on the radio with WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes. Give Buck a coronary, get another win. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles 6/10

The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles will be back at it again tonight in the Bronx with a special Saturday night edition of their new rivalry. The Yankees love their Saturday afternoon games, and truth be told I do too, but tonight these two teams will face off in prime time on FOX. In the matchup the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound, the future is now, while the Orioles will counter with Chris Tillman, the now was a couple years ago apparently.

Severino heads into tonight’s start on a streak of having thrown three straight quality starts including a victory 11 days ago against these same Baltimore Orioles. In Severino’s last start the right-hander took a no-decision against the Toronto Blue Jays despite allowing just two runs in seven innings.

Tillman missed the first month of the 2017 season on the disabled list and has spent the rest of the season trying to work himself back into the groove, a trend that hopefully continues tonight. Tillman has not won a game since his first start on May 7, five straight starts without a victory, so it is the Yankees mission tonight to push that to six straight if at all possible.

The game will be played at 7:15 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on FOX. I believe when FOX is involved that the games are blacked out everywhere else including MLB TV but I cannot swear to that either way. Anyway you should still be able to follow along in your cars and on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Enjoy the game, beat the O’s and as always…. Go Yankees!

CC Sabathia starring in The Curious Case of CC Sabathia

Coming this summer to a screen near you the latest movie “The Curious Case of CC Sabathia” starring CC Sabathia, Yankees GM Brian Cashman and the Yankees principal owner Hal Steinbrenner. On a serious note though what in the world is going on with CC Sabathia and what are the New York Yankees prepared to do about it? That’s the curious case if you ask me.

If the Yankees plan on competing in the American League East this season and if the team wants to go beyond the AL Wild Card Game and/or the American League Division Series you would have to believe they would need more out of the big left-hander or they will at the very least have to have a contingency plan just in case his struggles continue.

After the Yankees 5-3 loss in Cincinnati on Tuesday night the Yankees have seen CC go from one of the best pitchers in the game during his first three starts to one of the worst over the course of his last four starts. In that span Sabathia has pitched to a 9.58 ERA in 20.2 innings allowing 30 hits and 22 earned runs. In the now immortal words of Joe Girardi, that’s not what you want.

Sabathia is blaming the lack of control and sharpness of his cutter, especially to right-handed batters, and Joe Girardi agrees with him publicly. Where is Larry Rothschild in all this? It’s been four starts, which roughly equates to 20 days, since his last decent start. Come on now. Fix it or move him. Force him into retirement like you did Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. Do what you have to do, just do something.

He’s making $25 million this season before hitting free agency so it’s basically a sunk cost for the Yankees. New York is paying him that $25 million regardless of whether he is pitching in the rotation, the bullpen or for another team so the team might as well do what’s best for the organization this year because this team has a true shot at being special. They may just be one impact starter away…. 

Evan Longoria Manning Third for New York in 2017? Hmmm Maybe

When Pete Rose talks I have to say that I am not one that usually listens, not anymore lately. I am kind of bitter towards the “Hit Man” if I’m being completely honest after spending so many years defending him and his claim to a spot in the Hall of Fame eventually. Pete not only lied but made me look like a fool but one thing he knows maybe better than gambling and lying is baseball so when he talks about the sport I have to listen. Rose spoke about something Yankees related recently and I have to admit that it makes a ton of sense for New York, it involves making a trade for the Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria and plugging him in at the hot corner as soon as the 2017 season. That’s the ultimate “Get Greedy” move that spawned this blog and its name. Well done.

Why does this make sense for New York? The Yankees third basemen combined for an OPS of just .690 last season which ranked them 29^th overall out of 30 teams in Major League Baseball. You don’t have to be a statmatician or a fan of Moneyball to know that 29^th best out of 20 teams means the Yankees got little to no production out of their third basemen in 2016, or as I like to say “Chase Headley sucks.” Headley, who sucks in case you forgot, is set to make $13 million in 2017 and 2018 before finally hitting the free agency market just in time for Miguel Andujar to come up, well assuming the team doesn’t take the Pete Rose suggestion and acquire Evan Longoria from the Tampa Bay Rays first.

Now again this was just a suggestion by Rose as he stated he wanted to see great players like Longoria on bigger market teams who make the postseason and he simply used the Yankees and the Chicago Cubs as examples but the need is definitely there for New York. Longoria wouldn’t come cheap in terms of prospects or dollars as he is still owed $95 million on his current contract with Tampa Bay and presumably the Rays would expect a King’s Ransom for him whether they were trading him within the division or not.

Would Tampa Bay entertain it? Maybe. They traded away everyone else not named Chris Archer and Longoria, have recently traded Logan Forsythe and at least listened to offers for Archer as recently as last season so you never truly know what’s going to happen with the Rays. Stay tuned I guess because Pete Rose may finally be onto something good for the game of Major League Baseball. 

Former Yankees Update: Jesus Montero

This news may be a bit dated, hey I’ve been on vacation so sue me, but here is a former Yankees update in case you missed it. This time we are checking in with former top prospect Jesus Montero as he found a new home inside the American League East recently with the Baltimore Orioles.

As everyone remembers the New York Yankees traded Montero to the Seattle Mariners in the Michael Pineda and after an incident over an ice cream sandwich and a Biogenesis-related steroid suspension later the former Yankees catcher has seen his time run out with Seattle.

Montero signed a minor league deal with Baltimore earlier this month and will spend his age 27 season looking to rebuild some of the stock he lost since being one of the game’s top prospects in all the land while with New York. Montero will have to wait 50 games to begin that climb though after testing positive for dimethylbutylamine, a banned drug my Major League Baseball, in September while with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Toronto Blue Jays 9/23

You know what Yankees fans? Stand up! The math and the standings still say that the New York Yankees are still in this so dammit we’re still in this. Is it unlikely? Sure. Is it going to happen? Probably not. But will we go down fighting? We damn well better. That fight starts and continues tonight as the New York Yankees make the trip to the Rogers Centre tonight to take on their AL East rivals the Toronto Blue Jays. In the first of the four-game set this week and into the weekend the New York Yankees will send Bryan Mitchell to the mound looking to inch and claw the team that much closer to the postseason while the Blue Jays look to put the nail in the Yankees coffin by sending Francisco Liriano to the mound to oppose Mitchell. This one should be fun and it’s the biggest series of the season to date.

Mitchell will be making his fourth start of the season after missing much of the year with a toe injury suffered in spring training and thus far his results have been in a mixed bag. Mitchell looked downright filthy in his first start but some fatigue and general effectiveness problems have arose since, not that he hasn’t pitched well enough to win in some of these starts.

Liriano has essentially taken the spot of RA Dickey in the Blue Jays rotation after allowing just four runs in his last 12.1 innings pitched. Meanwhile Dickey has been on a slide as he may or may not be inching towards retirement and has especially struggled against the Yankees, especially this season.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Rogers Centre, eh, and can be seen live on the YES Network, ESPN 2 and MLB TV. We cannot expect the Yankees to believe if we, the fans, do not believe so we need to start believing. Turn on some Journey, do what you have to do. Just keep rooting until the math tells us not to anymore. It’s the Yankee (fan) way. Go Yankees!

The Greedy Pinstripes Saturday Night Open Thread

It’s Saturday night and the Yankees game for the day is in the books, what does one do with their time? Do they read a book? Spend time with family? Catch up on the new American Horror Story or the hilarious show “Atlanta” starring and produced by Donald Glover? Cut the grass while it’s not 115 degrees outside? I don’t know, I haven’t made up my mind yet. While I do I leave you with this open thread for the evening to discuss whatever you’d like.

Enjoy the rest of your evening Yankees family and we’ll be back at it strong again tomorrow for the finale in Boston. I’m not ready to give up on this playoff push just yet and neither should you. This is still an exciting team that has all the pieces necessary to make another run. Just have to do it. 

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox 9/17

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox are back at it again today in the third of their four-game set this weekend inside Fenway Park. What a start to the series we were treated to on Thursday night although Yankees fans everywhere were left shaking their heads at the end of the night. Friday night we watched two young guns go at it head-to-head and today we see a pesky old friend named David Price. Happy, happy. Joy, joy. Or as I like to say; sarcasm, sarcasm. Opposing the Red Sox ace on the mound today for the Yankees will be Bryan Mitchell.

Mitchell will be making his third start of the season this afternoon inside Fenway Park after a great debut followed by some struggles last time out against the Dodgers. Mitchell allowed six runs, although only two of them were earned runs, on eight hits in just 2.1 innings pitched.

Price on the other hand is red hot posting a 7-0 record in his last seven starts with a 2.16 ERA. Price is pushing the Red Sox to the postseason and to an AL East Division title but he will have to improve on his 1-2 record and 7.79 ERA against New York this season to do so.

The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Fenway Park, let’s make sure all the doors are closed this time fellas, and can be seen on FOX. It might also be able to be seen on MLB TV but I doubt it. Blackout rules still confused me, I’ll admit it.  Another thing I’ll admit is despite the season and career statistics the Yankees have against David Price I never feel truly comfortable or confident. We need a win Yankees family, let’s not mince words, so let’s get a win against Price and the Red Sox this afternoon. Go Yankees!

Most Popular Article of the Week: The Yankees Remaining Schedule & Playoff Chances After the Tampa Bay Series

The New York Yankees have made a whole lot of people eat crow and choke on their words, maybe no one more so than myself truth be told, in the second half of this season after a fire sale of sorts at the August 1^st trading deadline. The Yankees traded off their best hitter in Carlos Beltran, arguably their two best relievers in Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman and other veteran pieces like Ivan Nova yet the team only got better, not worse, after the sale. At one point this season right around the All-Star break I typed up a post looking at the Yankees schedule in the second half and I came to the conclusion that the Yankees were doomed for failure in the coming months. New York had series with the Baltimore Orioles, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox looming and while I had them dead in the water they have come out swinging stronger than ever.

Now with the playoffs a real possibility, despite my previous predictions, the Yankees are sprinting towards the finish line and playing their best baseball of the season at the best possible time. That got me thinking, after this series with the Rays which on paper they should do well in what does the rest of the schedule look like?

9/12 – 9/4 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3)

9/15 – 9/18 @ Boston Red Sox (4)

9/20 – 9/22 @ Tampa Bay Rays (3)

9/23 – 9/26 @ Toronto Blue Jays (4)

9/27 – 9/29 vs. Boston Red Sox (3)

9/30 – 10/2 vs. Baltimore Orioles (3)

I won’t be the ones to count them out. Not anymore. 

The Yankees Remaining Schedule & Playoff Chances After the Tampa Bay Series

The New York Yankees have made a whole lot of people eat crow and choke on their words, maybe no one more so than myself truth be told, in the second half of this season after a fire sale of sorts at the August 1^st trading deadline. The Yankees traded off their best hitter in Carlos Beltran, arguably their two best relievers in Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman and other veteran pieces like Ivan Nova yet the team only got better, not worse, after the sale. At one point this season right around the All-Star break I typed up a post looking at the Yankees schedule in the second half and I came to the conclusion that the Yankees were doomed for failure in the coming months. New York had series with the Baltimore Orioles, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox looming and while I had them dead in the water they have come out swinging stronger than ever.

Now with the playoffs a real possibility, despite my previous predictions, the Yankees are sprinting towards the finish line and playing their best baseball of the season at the best possible time. That got me thinking, after this series with the Rays which on paper they should do well in what does the rest of the schedule look like?

9/12 – 9/4 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3)

9/15 – 9/18 @ Boston Red Sox (4)

9/20 – 9/22 @ Tampa Bay Rays (3)

9/23 – 9/26 @ Toronto Blue Jays (4)

9/27 – 9/29 vs. Boston Red Sox (3)

9/30 – 10/2 vs. Baltimore Orioles (3)

*Insert “So you’re saying there’s a chance” meme here*

I won’t be the ones to count them out. Not anymore. 

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Toronto Blue Jays 6/1

Welcome ladies and gentleman to June baseball. Boy has this year been flying by and boy has this major league season been flying by as well. We’re already one-third of the way through the season and we’ve already seen the calendar change its pages twice. Welcome to June baseball once again. To kick off the month of June the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays will be finishing off a three-game series this week inside the Rogers Centre in Toronto. In the finale the Yankees will send their ace and stopper to the mound looking for a win in Masahiro Tanaka while the Jays will counter with a young stud of their own in Aaron Sanchez.

Tanaka heads into this start tonight on a modest two decision win streak where he has posted a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings. Granted those two starts were against the Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays and not a potent offense like the Toronto Blue Jays but Tanaka held his own in his last start against them as well on April 12 taking a no-decision in five innings of work. Tanaka allowed just two runs in an eventual 3-2 Yankees victory.

 Sanchez will be making his second start of the young season against the Yankees tonight looking to improve on his six inning no-decision on April 12. In the start Sanchez allowed just one earned run which was one of eight times in 10 starts this season that Sanchez has held the opposing team to three earned runs of fewer. Let’s not make it nine out of eleven tonight.

The game will be played at 7:07 pm ET inside the Rogers Centre and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. The Yankees head to Detroit to take on the always tough Detroit Tigers after this contest but I have a feeling they aren’t looking ahead to that weekend series just yet. These Blue Jays always play the Yankees tough and that offense is as tough as ever, especially when you bat a guy like Jose Bautista leadoff. Hopefully Tanaka’s splitter is on point tonight and the Yankees get out of town with a win.

Go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 5/28

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays are ready to kick off the second game of their three game weekend set here at Tropicana Field with another very intriguing pitching matchup. On paper both teams thought they had their #2 starter positions on lockdown heading into the season yet both Michael Pineda of the Yankees and Matt Moore of the Rays have struggled for large stretches this season respectively. Both will look to turn it around this afternoon and lead their team to a victory in a contest that begins at 4:10 pm ET. The game will be played inside of Tropicana Field and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV.

Give us a follow on twitter and follow along with us and the Yankees during each and every game this season. Our twitter handle is @GreedyStripes and we have been on a mission since Day One to put the social aspect back into social media. Won’t you join us on our mission?

Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 5/28

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays continue their three game set this Memorial Day weekend at Tropicana Field with the second of a three game set today. In the first game we were all entertained as Masahiro Tanaka and Chris Archer took the mound for their respective teams which gives today’s pitching matchup a lot to live up to. In today’s middle game of the three game set the Yankees will send Michael Pineda to the mound looking for more consistency this season against teams other than the Oakland Athletics while the Rays counter with their #2 pitcher Matt Moore.

Pineda has not pitched well outside of his two starts against the Oakland Athletics this season and has especially not pitched well in May during his career. Pineda had posted a 7.02 ERA in the month of May in 2016 before his last start where he earned a quality start and victory over the A’s.

Moore is giving up too many damn home runs this season, nine in just 51 innings, which usually tends to play right into the Yankees hands. In his last start Moore allowed five runs in five innings of work against the Miami Marlins and has only gone longer than five innings just three times this season in nine starts.

The game will be played at 4:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV. It is a shame that more people don’t head out to Tropicana Field down in St. Pete it really is a cool experience. It’s not the greatest stadium I’ve ever seen cosmetically and boy was it a pain to get to but I think if you have a good set of teams playing inside the dome it’s worth it. More people need to go to Tropicana Field, even if they are all Yankees fans! I have spoken, now make it true. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays 5/24

The New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays has become quite the little rivalry over the past two or three seasons with the Blue Jays rise to the top of the American League East but things are a little different this time around. Toronto is struggling, which granted so is New York for the most part, and these two teams face off head-to-head tonight occupying the bottom two spots in the American League East division. It’s not too early nor is it too late to make a run but one has to start distancing themselves from the other for this to happen and that can happen tonight. In the pitching matchup the Yankees will send Nathan Eovaldi to the mound to face off with the Blue Jays starter RA Dickey.

Eovaldi has been getting better and better while getting stronger and stronger with each start this season much like he finished the 2015 campaign. In his last start Eovaldi was the stopper ending the Yankees two-game losing streak with six innings of one-run ball in Arizona against the Diamondbacks as the right-hander picked up his third consecutive win.

Dickey was not sharp in his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays and will look to continue with his string of mediocrity tonight in the Bronx. In that start Dickey allowed five runs, four of them earned, on eight hits including three home runs in a 6-3 loss to Tampa. Dickey is prone to the home run ball and he’s facing the Bronx Bombers tonight, sounds like a good recipe for a Yankees win.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside of Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. The Yankees have a plan and they need to stick to it tonight. Timely hitting, get an early lead, get into the bullpen and shut it down. With the off day yesterday all arms should be on deck for tonight’s matchup and oh, did I mention Alex Rodriguez comes back tonight? No I didn’t but now I did. Enter A Rod! Go Yankees!!