Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics 7/9

The New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics will play in the finale of their three game set this afternoon inside Yankee Stadium. For some reason the A’s have been terrible against most teams but have seemingly brought their “A” game, no pun intended, against the Yankees this season. New York will look to reverse that trend this afternoon with Masahiro Tanaka on the mound as he faces off with Jesse Chavez for Oakland. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV.

• Tanaka heads into this afternoon’s start on a bit of a rough streak after giving up 14 earned runs in his last three starts. Tanaka has not made it past the sixth inning in any of those three starts and has just one quality start in that same timeline. Tanaka looked great in his first two starts off the disabled list and has regressed dramatically ever since, hopefully that turns around this afternoon in the Bronx.

• Chavez is also heading into this afternoon’s start on a bit of a rough streak after he gave up 12 earned runs on his own in his last three starts. Chavez has been prone to the home run ball in that streak and has allowed at least six hits in all three starts, both of which are great signs for the Yankees offense this afternoon inside hitting friendly Yankee Stadium.

New York heads to Fenway for a weekend series with the Boston Red Sox while the Athletics go anywhere but here after this afternoon’s contest. Boston is red hot and are climbing back into this American League East Division race slowly and quietly and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried. All New York has to do it win and all those worries go away, at least temporarily, so just win. Go Yankees!