Yankees-Red Sox rivalry’s latest chapter will feature plenty of first tastes

For the fifth time in six years, the Yankees will get their first look at the Red Sox in June or — in the case of the 2020 COVID-delayed season — even later. 

The Yanks’ longtime rivals will arrive for three games in The Bronx beginning Friday, giving Aaron Boone’s first-place club a chance to put further distance between them in the AL East race. 

The retooled Red Sox (30-34) will enter 9.5 games behind the Yankees, and they will be without injured free-agent signing Alex Bregman (quad) this weekend. 

“Obviously, it’s been a tough start for them, but a lot of close games that they’ve been on the wrong side of,” Aaron Boone said before the Yankees defeated the Guardians, 4-0, in Thursday’s series finale. “We really viewed them in spring training and early in the season as, like, a really talented team. We know what they’re capable of and feel like that can still be a reality for them. 

“We feel like a really good, hungry club is gonna be coming in here, that it certainly hasn’t started how they wanted to, but I feel like they’re very dangerous.” 

Imported former All-Star hurlers Walker Buehler and Garrett Crochet will be on the mound the first two nights for Boston, while first-year Yankee vets such as Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt will get their first taste of the rivalry.