How Yankees’ behind-the-scenes work vs. Red Sox could have big payoff

Yankees manager Aaron Boone talked about how the behind-the-scenes work the team is doing during this series with the Red Sox could help come the playoffs.

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NEW YORK — If the Yankees end up in Boston for the American League Division Series, the work they do behind the scenes now could have a big impact later.

That’s according to Aaron Boone, who agreed that their current series with the Red Sox — and their season-ending series with them in about a week — could provide them vital information.

“It better be,” Boone said before Wednesday night’s game against Boston at Yankee Stadium. “You need to continue to grow in this game and you need to continue to always try to gather information and be able to evaluate and prepare for opponents but also evaluate ourselves and kind of, we’re scouting ourselves right now, to see if there’s things we’re doing that we can do better, tendencies, those kinds of things.

That’s part of — certainly it’s heightened at this time of the year because we’re uber focused on certain teams as we prepare for the stretch run here. But that’s something that you better be doing all the time during this season — gathering information – if you’re going to be as good as you can possibly be.”

The Yankees will have to win the AL Wild Card vs. the A’s to reach the ALDS. Boston’s magic number is two.

Yankees hint at who will start Wild Card

BOMBS AWAY: With INF Neil Walker hitting his 10th HR of the season on Tues. vs. Boston, the 2018 Yankees tied a Major League record with 11 players with double-digit home runs… are the fifth team to do it, joining Houston in 2015 and 2017, Minnesota in 2016 and Detroit in 2004.
>> 1B Luke Voit has hit 7HR as a Yankee.

GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER: On Tuesday vs. Boston, the Yankees’ six 20HR hitters (Andujar, Gregorius, Hicks, Judge, Stanton, Torres) were all in the same starting lineup for the first time since 7/2 vs. Atlanta.

PRICE CHECK: In his last start at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox starter David Price set a career high by allowing 5HR and tied a career high with 8ER (in 3.1IP)… was the 12th time in Yankees history that they hit at least 5HR off a single pitcher.
>> Price has a 12.19 ERA (10.1IP, 14ER) in three starts vs. the Yankees this season.
>> Yankees batters have scored at least 5R in 6-of-10G vs. Price since the start of 2016, batting .345 (78-for-226) with 13HR against him… over the same span, Price has gone 2-6 with a 7.81 ERA (53.0IP, 46ER) in his 10 starts against the Yankees.
>> C Gary Sanchez is 6-for-12 with 5HR in his career vs. Price.

HOME RUNWAY: In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Ralph Lauren company, Bronx native and lifelong Yankees fan, Ralph Lauren, will be celebrated in a pregame home plate ceremony and will throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to Thursday night’s game vs. Boston… for the 50th anniversary, Ralph Lauren and Major League Baseball have partnered on a limited-edition Ralph Lauren Yankees collection, featuring a classic baseball jacket, a New Era baseball cap, a Wilson baseball glove and a Rawlings commemorative baseball.