New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2018 ) Boston 11, NY Yankees 6

The New York Yankees watched the Boston Red Sox wrap up the American League East in the Bronx just over a week ago and they hope to have their own celebration at Fenway Park this weekend. The Yankees have a magic number of one for clinching the top wild card and can nail it down with a victory in Friday night's opener of a three-game series versus the Red Sox.

New York needs one win or a loss by Oakland to secure home field for Wednesday's one-game playoff against the Athletics, a task made easier by the fact that Boston has nothing to play for. "We know what's at stake, and we took a good step toward it," said Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton after he homered twice in Thursday's 12-1 drubbing at Tampa Bay to move his team closer to the potential clincher. Left-hander J.A. Happ, who is 6-0 in 10 starts since he was acquired from Toronto, will get the nod against Boston in the series opener and is on track to start the wild-card game. Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez, who is 21-for-63 with 17 RBIs in 16 games against New York this season, enters the series batting .330 overall with 42 homers and 127 RBIs.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, WPIX (New York), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH J.A. Happ (16-6, 3.57 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Brian Johnson (4-4, 4.11)

Happ did not factor in the decision last time out, holding Baltimore to one run and five hits over five innings -- the eighth time in 10 starts since joining the Yankees that he allowed two runs or fewer. He also had a no-decision in his previous turn against the Red Sox, permitting only an unearned run on four hits over six innings. Steve Pearce has been a nemesis for Happ, going 10-for-29 with five homers.

Johnson has pitched primarily out of the bullpen in 2018 but the last of his 12 starts was an ugly one -- he lasted only 1 1/3 innings and was rocked for four runs and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings at the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 2. He beat the Yankees on Aug. 2 but had mixed results, striking out 11 while allowing five runs in five innings. Johnson also made three scoreless relief appearances versus New York this year.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees SS Didi Gregorius (wrist) was cleared for baseball activities and could play this weekend.

2. Martinez needs one homer to surpass Dick Stuart (1963) for the most in a player's first season with Boston.

3. The Yankees need four homers to match the major-league record of 264 set by Seattle in 1997.

PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Red Sox 3