Dustin Pedroia and the defending champion Red Sox are back in New York this weekend. Credit: Getty Image
The most intense rivalry in major sports is set to kick off again as the Red Sox travel to the Bronx for a four game series with the Yankees.
The first of the four games takes place on Thursday night, with Clay Buchholz taking the mound against Michael Pineda. Buchholz will try to bounce back from a nightmarish start against the Brewers, where he allowed six runs (all earned) on 13 hits.Buchholz started against the Yankees three times last season and was brilliant each time, going 3-0 while allowing only two runs in 18 combined innings of work.
Michael Pineda, who missed all of 2012 and 2013 while recovering from various injuries, showed promise in his first start of 2014, striking out five while surrendering only one run to the Blue Jays in six innings of work, but he took the loss as his team was shut out, 4-0. Pineda faced the Red Sox once in 2011 as a member of the Seattle Mariners, and he was rocked for seven runs on eight hits while only pitching 4.1 innings.
This will be the first time Jacoby Ellsbury will face his former team after signing with the Yankees in the offseason. Ellsbury has come out swinging this season, hitting .364/.417/.455 so far while driving in three runs. He also leads his team with four stolen bases.
