By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK — Yankees-Red Sox matchups have produced plenty of melodrama, with video clips of Bucky Dent, Pedro Martínez, Aaron Boone, Curt Schilling and Dave Roberts becoming a staple of videoboards and TV broadcasts.
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Boone’s 11th-inning walk-off home run for New York against Boston in Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series became the defining moment of his baseball career and perhaps his life.
“I understand that a lot of people have an amazing story, a lot of those that I’ve heard, tied to that moment,” the Yankees manager said Monday on the eve of his team’s best-of-three Wild Card Series against the Red Sox.
Payton Tolle starts Tuesday night’s opener for Boston and likely Cy Young Award winner Cam Schlittler will be on the mound for the Yankees. This will be the seventh postseason meeting between the longtime rivals and second Wild Card Series in a row.
“A real slobberknocker,” Tolle said, using slang for a brutal fight.
New York (93-68) finished second in the AL East behind Tampa Bay (98-64), and the Red Sox (87-75) were third. The first-round winner advances to a best-of-five AL Division Series against the Rays.
Tolle got one out in last year’s Wild Card Series, a month after his major league debut.
“Walking out there to the ’pen last year, you see how much the fans interact, how bought-in they are,” he said. “You see how much it means. You get to hear how loud it gets and just try and turn that into white noise the best you can.”
Yankees rookie outfielder Spencer Jones watched part of last year’s matchup while driving with his girlfriend from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he finished the season with the Yankees’ Triple-A farm team, to Nashville, Tennessee.
“We stopped at a Chipotle and we just sat there and watched on the iPad,” he said.
“I’ve heard that these Wild Card Series get pretty intense, get pretty rowdy,” he added. “This is going to be the most fun baseball I’ve ever played.”
New York hosts all three games because of its better finish in the standings. Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field could be a factor for left-handed hitters, similar to how Fenway Park’s Green Monster in left field is an inviting target for right-handed batters.
“I think in an ideal situation, we’re at home in front of our fans,” said Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, a leadoff hitter who bats from the left side. “I’m not trying to just go out there and pull home runs, right? I think for me and for everyone, it’s about getting on base and manufacturing runs.”
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JUDGE, STANTON, GRISHAM AMONG INJURY CONCERNS
Aaron Judge (calf strain), Giancarlo Stanton (calf strains in both legs) and Trent Grisham (right hamstring) all took live batting practice at Yankee Stadium on Monday, hoping to be included on the series roster.
“I’ve been doing a lot of convincing, I feel like, so I’m going to keep doing that,” Judge said just after arriving at the stadium. “The most important thing is just making sure I’m healthy and ready to go for this long stretch. We’ve got another month of baseball to play.”
CROCHET COULD BE IN BOSTON BULLPEN
Left-hander Garrett Crochet, who won last season’s series opener against the Yankees by allowing one run and four hits in 7⅔ innings, could be a bullpen option for Boston.
He has not pitched since April 25 because of left shoulder inflammation.
“He’s worked very hard to get everything back strong the way it needs to be, but we’re still going to be evaluating him daily to see where he’s at,” Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said.
BIG BOSTON REBOUND
Manager Alex Cora, who led the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series title, was fired on April 25 with Boston at 10-17 and replaced by Tracy, who had been managing the Triple-A Worcester farm team.
Boston dropped to 32-46 on June 24, then went a major league-best 55-29. The Red Sox are just the fourth team to reach the postseason after dropping 14 games under .500, joining the 1914 Boston Braves and 2005 Houston Astros.
NEW FACE
Braiden Ward, a speedy 27-year-old outfielder who spent the season at Worcester, was in the Red Sox clubhouse and was assigned a locker with No. 25. He could become the seventh player to make his major league debut in the postseason.
Ward stole 61 bases in 70 attempts this year and has 272 stolen bases in 523 minor league games.
“It’s like a dream. It’s a fever dream,” he said. “One day I’m in Worcester and the next day I’m in Florida, the next day I’m at the nicest hotel we’ve ever stayed at in New York City with the greatest view, the greatest team, getting to hopefully play in the greatest rivalry.”
Cora had told Ward during spring training he could be a postseason option off the bench.
“Two of my best friends are Yankee fans, so hopefully I get to talk absolute smack to them the entire time,” he said. “I joke with the team. It’s like, how cool would it be to have your debut be Game 3, ninth inning and they’re like, ‘Hey Ward, you’re out there. Have fun.’ So nothing crazy. No pressure.”