The New York Yankees are back at it for an early getaway day showdown at Yankee Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 12:35 pm. After splitting the first two games of this series against the Texas Rangers, the Bombers are hungry to secure their sixth consecutive series win—and a happy flight to Milwaukee.
Tuesday night saw the Yankees outslug Texas, handing Jacob deGrom his second loss of the season. But Wednesday brought a different story, as Nathan Eovaldi evened things up with a strong performance. Now, it all comes down to the rubber match, and both teams will be throwing pitchers the other hasn't seen yet this series.
Forgive the pun, but sometimes they write themselves: Ryan Weathers is under the weather. The scheduled starter was scratched due to a nasty illness, opening the door for veteran Paul Blackburn. Blackburn has plenty of MLB starting experience, but he's been used exclusively in relief so far this season, appearing in nine games and only going more than two innings once. Don't expect a full start—this one will likely feel more like a bullpen game, especially since the Yankees' high-leverage arms were rested during yesterday's loss.
On the mound for Texas is left-hander MacKenzie Gore, the Rangers' big offseason prize from a blockbuster trade with the Nationals. Gore's first season in Arlington has been a rollercoaster. Through seven starts, the 27-year-old owns a 4.67 ERA and has struggled with command, which has led to inflated pitch counts and early exits. His last outing against Detroit lasted just 3.2 inconsistent innings, and he hasn't pitched into the sixth since his first two starts of the year. Make no mistake—Gore is a can't-miss talent with elite strikeout stuff (29.8% K rate this season), but walks have been a recurring issue (11.9% BB rate). The Yankees' lineup will need to make him work and drive up that pitch count.
Today's lineup has a bit of a different look. Ben Rice is still out, so Paul Goldschmidt slides back into the leadoff spot ahead of Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. Amed Rosario gets the cleanup nod, followed by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jasson Domínguez. Trent Grisham moves from the top of the order to the seven-hole, while Max Schuemann starts at shortstop in place of José Caballero, who took a hit by pitch in Wednesday's game.
It's a matinee battle with series-win stakes—and the Bombers are ready to swing.