Massachusetts native Cam Schlittler makes his Fenway Park debut Thursday night, as the New York Yankees aim to complete the three-game sweep of the rival Boston Red Sox. 

The Yankees (15–9, 1st AL East) have won five straight games, punctuated by a pair of lopsided victories over Boston. The Red Sox (9–15, 5th AL East) have lost four of their last five, now looking to salvage the series with their historic rival.

Opposite the right-handed Schlittler, southpaw Payton Tolle — Boston’s top prospect — is tabbed for his season debut.

First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. ET. New York enters as a 1.5-run road favorite with -149 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. Boston sits as a +123 underdog, with the total set at O/U eight runs.

Yankees vs. Red Sox Preview

New York Yankees

The season’s first Yankees-Red Sox series has been all New York through two games. The Bronx Bombers have outscored their historic rival, 8–1, with star slugger Giancarlo Stanton leading the charge. The former MVP is 4-for-8 with four extra-base hits (one home run) and three RBIs in the series, continuing to treat Fenway as his personal playground. Amed Rosario continues to mash, while Aaron Judge and Ben Rice are eager to leave their mark on the historic grudge match.  

Oh yeah, and New York’s pitching staff has surrendered just one run over its last three games — so far confining Boston to a meaningless score in the bottom of the ninth on Wednesday. The Yanks will look to keep the momentum rolling when surging right-hander Cam Schlittler makes his hometown debut. The Boston-area native, 25, has shoved to the tune of a 1.95 ERA (2.27 xERA) with a 0.76 WHIP and 36 strikeouts (and just three walks) across his first five starts (27.2 IP). He’s just six months removed from spinning eight shutout innings with 12 strikeouts against the Red Sox in the AL Wild Card.

Boston Red Sox

Boston’s flaws have been exposed against its fiercest rival. The lifeless lineup — exacerbated by the absence of Roman Anthony — has been befuddled by the likes of Luis Gil and Max Fried, the latter of whom twirled eight shutout innings with nine strikeouts in Wednesday’s win. On the season, the club ranks 27th in wOBA (.297), 28th in wRC+ (81), and dead last in home runs (13).

The Red Sox pitching staff has also been second-rate amid the team’s tailspin, constantly undone by the long ball. Its 4.39 ERA is underscored by a 5.37 xERA — the second-worst mark in baseball. And with Sonny Gray landing on the 15-day IL, Boston will summon top prospect Payton Tolle to stop the bleeding. The flamethrowing southpaw, 23, struggled during his first cup of coffee in the majors last season. Across seven appearances (three starts), Tolle got tagged for a 6.06 ERA (4.70 xERA) and a 1.59 WHIP — though his 25.7% strikeout rate was an encouraging sign.

Yankees vs. Red Sox Pick, Best Bet

The Yankees are a far better team than the Red Sox at this point in the season. With a superior offense, along with a fired-up Schlittler on the bump, expect them to go out and prove it with a sweep of their historic rival on their home turf.

Best Bet: New York Yankees Moneyline (-149)