Are Yankees due to seize momentum?
For the Yankees, a late June weekend at Fenway Park doesnt quite measure up to one in early October. But it would be a mistake to downplay the significance of this visit, especially with the Bunker Hill-size hurdle to climb in the AL East, against a Red Sox team thats banking plenty of confidence points before the All-Star break. The Yankees mission during this trip was to put a dent in that armor, and Fridays 5-3 loss, frustrating on a number of levels, was not the ideal start. They did have one ace to play, however, having Gerrit Cole waiting for Sundays series finale, the major advantage over their ancient rival. As for Fenway itself, Cole has pitched in the belly of the beast before, and is no stranger to hostile crowds, with plenty of postseason harassment on his resume. But there was a particular visit that stuck out to him, and it happened to be during the regular season, when Cole started for the Pirates at Fenway in 2017. "I did pitch one Opening Day here after the Patriots won the [Super Bowl]," Cole said, "and nothing I think will quite top the pageantry of [Rob] Gronkowski and [Tom] Brady running routes, and F-18s flying over, and theres fireworks and everything. But at the same time, Ive never pitched with New York on the front of my jersey in this stadium, so Im sure it will be a fun and exciting experience, as well." Due to a pandemic-related quirk, last years shortened schedule prevented Cole from even taking the mound at an empty Fenway. Not that it would have prepared Cole for what he faces Sunday  a vastly better team, in front of an expected full house  and the potential of the Yankees standing at the ledge of a sweep. Based on the Yankees unenviable spot here in the final week of June  third place and five games back of the Rays going into Saturday's games  this counted as a significant series, whether Aaron Boone chose to characterize it that way or not. Repeatedly saying the Yankees will get their act together doesnt necessarily make it true, and their 17-22 record within the AL East, including 0-4 against the Red Sox before Saturday nights game, doesnt make them a playoff lock. As of Saturday afternoon, FanGraphs had the Yankees as a virtual coin flip for the postseason with a 57.9% chance of qualifying and 8.6% to win the World Series, the latter actually better than the Rays (4.3%) and Red Sox (6.7%). So the probability data remains a fan of the Yankees, even if what were watching doesnt often square with those numbers. Getting kicked around again by the Red Sox  after being swept in the Bronx  might not make a huge impact inside a computers silicon brain, but it can leave a mark on a teams psyche. Subscribe to Newsdays sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Thats what Boone is trying to combat, and the only means to do that is by beating the Red Sox as much as possible over the remainder of this season. Before the momentum really kicks in. Or at least thats how we view these matchups. Boone prefers to sidestep the concept. "I dont look at it that way," Boone said. "I look at it as, we know were a good club. We know where weve been kind of fighting to find that consistency and really find our groove. And I think everyone in that room understands that when we play our game, we can beat anybody. Its not something I worry about becoming an issue." Boone was wearing pinstripes when he hit one of the most dramatic home runs in the history of this rivalry, so he should understand the weight each of these games carry. And when the Yankees are doing the chasing, its an uncomfortable position for a legendary franchise further squeezed by an 11-year World Series drought (the Red Sox, of course, have won four rings in the past 17 years, including two since the Yankees 09 title). While the Red Sox are playing above expectations this season, Boone & Co. are performing well below, and Fridays loss only served to highlight the differences between the two clubs. Domingo Germans costly fielding blunder, the doomed send by third-base coach Phil Nevin and more misfortune on the health front as Zack Britton was forced to leave the game with a hamstring issue (he was placed on the IL on Saturday). The Yankees need to stop that gap from widening. "Theres an element of unpredictably to them, theres an element of really fundamental baseball, " said Cole, who also called Alex Cora "one of the premier managers in the major leagues." "They got some good feel to them, they got some good weapons ... Its nothing less than you really expect from a division leader. Well have to bring it." Now, up at Fenway, would be a good time to start.