Yankees 3 - 4 Red Sox
Final
  for this game

Red Sox hope to have Cespedes ready for Yankees

Aug 1, 2014 - 2:56 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Red Sox hope to have new slugger Yoenis Cespedes in the lineup on Friday when they begin a three-game series with the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.

Cespedes was acquired from Oakland on Thursday for ace left-hander Jon Lester, as well as outfielder Jonny Gomes.

That was just one of the moves Boston general manager Ben Cherington made, as he also shipped righty John Lackey to St. Louis for outfielder Allen Craig and righty Joe Kelly, sent left-handed reliever Andrew Miller to Baltimore for a minor leaguer and traded shortstop Stephen Drew to the Yankees for infielder Kelly Johnson.

"There were lots of different things we could have done and there were attractive prospect packages that were available to us for both guys," Cherington said of Lester and Lackey. "You know, we just felt like what made the most sense for us was to try to focus on impact Major League talent that's ready and we have a lot of good young players. We have strength in our farm system. So that's already a strength."

With Lester and Lackey gone, the Red Sox will have to recall Anthony Ranaudo from Triple-A Pawtucket to make his first major league start. He was 12-4 with a 2.24 ERA in 21 starts this season in the minors.

New York, meanwhile, will counter with a former Red Sox hurler in left-hander Chris Capuano, who was designated for assignment by Boston on June 25 after going 1-1 with a 4.55 ERA in 28 relief appearances.

Capuano, though, was picked up by the Yankees and started Saturday versus Toronto, He did not get a decision in his team's 6-4 loss, as he allowed two runs and five hits, but walked four batters over six innings.

"There's so much meaning with being a Yankee," said Capuano, who lost his only other start versus the Red Sox. "The storied franchise that it is, it's just a privilege to be a part of it and put the pinstripes on."

The Yankees come into this series having lost four of five following a disappointing series loss in Texas that dropped them five games back of the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles.

New York's last 11 contests have been decided by one or two runs.

"Every game that we lost was by two runs or one run and all but one of those (last 13) games was a one- or two-run game for either side," manager Joe Girardi said. "So if we get the consistency in our offense, we're going to win a lot more."

Boston, meanwhile, has dropped nine of 10 and sits in last place in the division.

New York has won six of its 10 matchups with the Red Sox this season.






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