The Yankees rode an explosive first two innings against a struggling Walker Buehler to a 9-6 triumph on Friday night. They will probably not be able to run the same play on Saturday.

In the second game of the first installation of The Rivalry in 2025, the Yankees will face off against AL Cy Young contender Garrett Crochet, acquired for a prospect haul in the offseason from the downtrodden Chicago White Sox. Crochet is off to a terrific start in 2025, posting a 1.98 ERA (209 ERA+), 2.68 FIP, and a Junior Circuit-leading 101 strikeouts through 13 starts and 82 innings. He’s in the inner circle conversation to start the All-Star Game next month with Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and our very own Max Fried.

It’s been a remarkable rise for Crochet, who went from a first-round pick out of Tennessee and a filthy reliever for the ChiSox that same draft year to the rotation beginning on Opening Day 2024 (following 2022 Tommy John surgery). Whether he’ll be able to maintain his current innings pace (207) is up for debate, as his 146 last year was a career high. Boston sure hopes so, as they extended him for six years and $170 million in April.

If there is something replicable for the Yankees from yesterday, it’s to be aggressive early. Most of the damage from Crochet comes early, as shown by his 3.23 ERA in the first three innings, as compared to his ridiculous 0.77 ERA in the 4th through 6th innings. He’s completed seven innings six times, six innings eight times, and five innings all 13 times.

Unlike most of the staff under pitching coach Andrew Bailey, Crochet throws four-seam fastballs. In fact, it’s usually the hard stuff from Crochet, who throws either his four-seam, sinker, or cutter over 80 percent of the time. He does have a filthy sweeper that he mixes in that has been near-unhittable.

On the mound for the Yankees is Ryan Yarbrough, who is this year’s frontrunner for the annual Matt Blake Reclamation Project of the Year, previously won by the likes of Nestor Cortes, Clay Holmes, and Lucas Luetge. He has a 2.83 ERA (138 ERA+) in 41.1 innings and has displayed elite contact suppression and command in recent games. Since allowing a grand slam to Geraldo Perdomo on April 3rd, Yarbrough has a 2.04 ERA in 11 games.

Yarbrough’s quirky arsenal threw off a blisteringly hot Dodgers offense last week and could do the same to Boston. The Yankees have had him throw more cutters and changeups and fewer four-seamers and sinkers. His slow fastballs complement his offspeed brilliantly.

It’s an odd lineup for the Yankees today. Jazz Chisholm Jr. gets his first day off after playing four straight games at third base after coming off the injured list, while Anthony Volpe is still experiencing swelling in his elbow after being plunked last night. Lefty killer Paul Goldschmidt will lead off with Ben Rice and Aaron Judge behind him. Trent Grisham is out as the Yanks deploy an outfield of Jasson Domínguez, Cody Bellinger, and Judge. DJ LeMahieu, Pablo Reyes, and Oswald Peraza are all in the lineup as well. Not only is this Reyes’ first start since May 10th, but it’s just Volpe’s second day off of the season.

The BoSox shake up their lineup. With a lefty on the mound, former Yankees Rob Refsnyder and Carlos Narváez bat third and fourth, while Romy Gonzalez bats fifth and Kristian Campbell slides in at the bottom. Gold Glove right fielder Wilyer Abreu and rookie shortstop Marcelo Mayer get the day off.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium — Bronx, NY

First pitch: 7:35 pm ET

TV broadcast: FOX

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY); WEEI 93.7, WCCM 1490 AM (SP), WESX 1230 AM (BOS)

Online stream: MLB.tv

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