NY Yankees at Boston Red Sox 9/18/20 - MLB Picks & Predictions

On Friday, the New York Yankees will visit Fenway Park to open a three-game series against American League East rival the Boston Red Sox. New York improved to 28-21 following its 13-2 rout of the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. The Yankees have scored a combined 33 runs in their last two games against the Blue Jays. New York has won each of its last seven and has moved to within three games of first place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

Second baseman DJ LeMahieu is batting .373 to lead the Yankees and has team-highs in hits with 56 and on-base percentage at .421. First baseman Luke Voit is leading New York in home runs with 19 and RBIs with 45. On Friday, New York will send Jordan Montgomery to the mound. The left-hander is 2-2 with an ERA of 4.76, 32 Ks and 7 BBs.

Boston is now 18-32 following its 8-4 loss on Wednesday to the Miami Marlins. The loss snapped a short two-game winning streak for Boston. The Red Sox are in last place in the American League East 13 ½ games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. In the loss to the Marlins, J D Martinez snapped out of a 1-for-30 drought with a two-run home run and added another RBI with a sacrifice fly.

Center fielder Alex Verdugo is batting .318 to lead Boston and has team highs in hits with 55 and on-base percentage at .376. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts is leading Boston in home runs with 10 and third baseman Rafael Devers is leading in RBIs with 33. On Friday, Boston will send Martin Perez to the mound. The left-hander is 3-4 with an ERA of 4.33, 37 Ks and 26 BBs.