Game Preview: New York Yankees @ San Diego Padres 7/1

The New York Yankees made the long trip to the polar opposite end of the United States last night just so they could spend the next three games in sunny Southern California. Their hosts for these three games? The San Diego Padres and Petco Park. With these two teams kicking off a three-game weekend set tonight in San Diego you have to think these are almost must win games for the Yankees, especially if they plan on contending like Brian Cashman, Hal Steinbrenner and Randy Levine say they are. In the matchup tonight the Yankees will send Nathan Eovaldi to the mound hoping that July is better to him than June was while the Padres counter with Colin Rea.

Eovaldi is probably the happiest of any Yankees pitcher to see the calendar turn from June to July and he’s especially happy presumably about seeing all though outfield space out there inside Petco Park. Eovaldi has seen his ERA rise to 5.19 through just 15 starts this year and has already set a new career high in home runs allowed with 17 as we stand here on July 1^st. A whole lot of baseball is left to be played and Eovaldi needs to turn it around sooner rather than later.

Rea has been lucky to pitch inside Petco Park lately as this mark his seventh start in his last eight outings that have come in San Diego. Rea has been inconsistent like many 25-year olds can be but the right-hander has shown flashes of brilliance at times leaving the Yankees unsure of just which Rea they will be seeing tonight in Petco.

The game will be played at 10:40 pm ET inside Petco Park and can be seen on the Fox Sports 1 and MLB TV. Have I mentioned lately that I hate west coast games? I know that I have but it bears repeating. West coast games are so damn inconvenient for east coast fans but I guess sometimes the same can be said for west coast fans when the games are on the east coast. I’m just complaining because I’m frustrated with this team so don’t mind me. Maybe they will give me something to be happy about tonight inside Petco Park. Go Yankees!