Yankees vs. Red Sox: Who has the edge at each position?
Andrew McCutchen vs. Andrew Benintendi
It’s a battle of Andrews in left field. McCutchen hasn’t been in pinstripes long, but he’s settled in nicely at the top of Boone’s batting order. In sharp contrast, Benintendi has been a mainstay in the Red Sox since the season began.
McCutchen isn’t the player he once was, but he’s done enough to knock Brett Gardner out of the starting line up. He does that by playing good defense in left field and getting on base a ton. He hasn’t crushed the baseball during his time in New York, but his ability to draw a walk has been huge for the Yankees.
Benintendi is one of the most complete hitters Cora has at his disposal. He does a little bit of everything to help the Red Sox. Not many guys are capable of hitting 16 home runs and swiping 21 bases in the same season. Benintendi may not be a master of anything, but he is a jack of all trades.
McCutchen is the better defender at Yankee Stadium, but Benintendi knows how to play in front of the Green Monster. That negates his counterparts major advantage in this matchup. This profiles as a comfortable win for the Red Sox. Both players are important to their respective teams, but Benintendi is just a better hitter.