New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 17, 2016 ) Boston 1, NY Yankees 3

The modern chapterr of the rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees kicked into high gear in the offseason between 2003 and 2004, when Alex Rodriguez was at the center of the controversy. Rodriguez, who ended up with New York that winter, will begin his final series in Boston when the Yankees visit the Red Sox in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday.

Rodriguez has 696 career home runs but is suffering through the worst season of his career at age 41 and has no place in the Yankees future after the team elected to go younger at the trade deadline and start inserting the youth into the major league roster. At a press conference on Sunday, the team and Rodriguez announced that the most prolific slugger of his generation will be released on Friday and will move into an advisory capacity with the club. “You always think you have one more hit in you,” Rodriguez told reporters. “That wasn’t in the cards. That was the Yankees’ decision, and I’m at peace with it.” Rodriguez and his young teammates will be taking on a Red Sox club that just finished up a 5-6 road trip and is battling for an American League wild card spot.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (1-6, 6.02 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (14-3, 3.46)

Severino earned his way back into the rotation with 8 1/3 strong innings over three appearances out of the bullpen, capped by 4 1/3 frames and a win over the New York Mets on Wednesday. The 22-year-old was bounced back to the minors after watching his ERA climb to 7.46 by mid-May but is getting a chance again as the Yankees shift into rebuilding mode. Severino was reached for four runs on five hits – three home runs – over 6 2/3 innings in a loss to Boston on May 8.

Porcello, who has limited Rodriguez to 3-for-20 with no RBIs in his career, tossed his second consecutive complete game at Seattle on Wednesday but was saddled with the loss after yielding three solo home runs in a game the Red Sox went on to lose 3-1. The defeat was the first for the New Jersey native since May 17. One of Porcello’s three losses came at New York on May 6, when he surrendered three runs on six hits and a pair of walks in seven innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters that if Rodriguez wanted to play in Boston, he would find a way to get him in the lineup.

2. Boston 1B Hanley Ramirez (wrist) did not start either game on the weekend and remains day-to-day.

3. Rodriguez is a .287 career hitter with 29 home runs in 131 career games at Fenway Park.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 2, Yankees 1