New York @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( May 6, 2018 ) Cleveland 4, NY Yankees 7

One of the best pitching matchups of the first half of the season will be center stage when the Cleveland Indians host the New York Yankees on Thursday for the opener of their four-game series. Cleveland sends two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to the mound to face fellow All-Star Luis Severino, leading off the set between American League heavyweights.

Severino, who has recorded a major league-high 14 wins, takes on an Indians offense that is coming off a 19-4 victory over Cincinnati on Wednesday that snapped a four-game losing streak and improved the AL Central leaders to 29-17 at home. All-Star Jose Ramirez belted a pair of homers, giving him three in two days and 27 on the season - one shy of major-league leader J.D. Martinez of Boston. The Yankees avoided losing a series against the major league-worst Baltimore Orioles with a 9-0 victory on Wednesday as Greg Bird led the way with his first career grand slam - one of three blasts by New York. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton added four hits and two RBIs for the Yankees and is 10-for-23 over his last five contests, raising his season batting average to .276.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (14-2, 2.12 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (12-4, 2.49)

Severino allowed three runs and five hits - two homers - over five innings at Toronto on Saturday but still was able to record his fifth consecutive victory. That outing was one of just five non-quality starts in 19 appearances for the 24-year-old Dominican, who has registered 143 strikeouts over 123 1/3 frames this year. Ramirez is 3-for-10 with a pair of homers versus Severino, who is 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA in four career regular-season starts against the Indians.

Kluber was unable to post his 13th win last time out despite tossing seven scoreless innings against Oakland - his 17th quality start in 19 outings. The 32-year-old native of Alabama, who is 7-1 with a 1.43 ERA in 10 starts at home this season, has registered 123 strikeouts over 126 1/3 frames while limiting opponents to a .207 batting average. Brett Gardner is just 4-for-19 with a homer versus Kluber, who is 5-1 with a 1.80 ERA in seven career regular-season starts against the Yankees.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York SS Didi Gregorius (9-for-26) and OF Aaron Judge (8-for-24) both are riding six-game hitting streaks.

2. Ramirez needs one stolen base to become the second Cleveland player to record at least 20 homers and 20 steals before the All-Star break.

3. The Yankees are 3-0 against the Indians this season after losing five of seven regular-season matchups last year.

PREDICTION: Indians 4, Yankees 2