Fansided

Yankees have tough road ahead in MLB playoffs

By Rucker Haringey

BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 04: Manger Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees looks inform the dugout before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on August 4, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 04: Manger Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees looks inform the dugout before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on August 4, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 12: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the fourth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 12, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 12: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the fourth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 12, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

1. Boston Red Sox

It may pain Yankees fans to read this, but the Red Sox are absolutely the team New York would like to avoid in the postseason. The recent series between the two clubs at Fenway served as a sobering reminder to the Yankees of just how powerful the Red Sox can be.

If there’s a chink in Boston’s armor it’s in the starting rotation. Chris Sale may be the best pitcher in baseball, but there are some question marks behind him. David Price, Nathan Eovaldi and Rick Porcello can all be great, but each of that trio can also be pretty bad. Eduardo Rodriguez is pretty untested at the highest level.

Fortunately for Red Sox fans, there aren’t any weaknesses in Alex Cora’s everyday lineup. The team is led by Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and Andrew Benintendi, but there’s nowhere for pitchers to hide. Outside of Jackie Bradley Jr, everyone else in this lineup can absolutely rake on their day.

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The intense nature of the rivalry also makes this a matchup the Yankees would like to avoid this season. Boone’s group has looked emotionally fragile at times during the 2018 campaign. Extreme mental toughness would be required to win a long series against the Red Sox. The Yankees might be a year or two away from having the talent and experience required to dispatch their arch rivals in October.

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