The New York Yankees return home to the Bronx tonight after a lengthy road trip to face the worst team in baseball, the Baltimore Orioles. The number is high in this one and so it should be. Baltimore is 41-91 on the season, 22-47 on the road, and a dismal 18-41 in their last 59 against the Yanks. Lefty John Means is expected on the hill for the Orioles. Means is 0-2 in his last 3 turns with a 4.96 ERA and has not fared well in his career against New York, with a record of 1-2 and an elevated ERA of 6.23. Aaron Boone is expected to hand the ball to “Nasty Nestor” Cortez, Jr. The southpaw has pitched well over his last 3, going 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA. The Yankees are 5-0 in their last 5 after a day off, 5-0 in their last 5 against the AL East, 6-1 in their last 7 home games against a left-handed starter, and shortstop Gleyber Torres, who has been a Baltimore killer in his career, could be back in the lineup tonight. New York sits 6-1/2 games back of Tampa for the lead in the AL East. With Baltimore in for 3 games followed by Toronto, New York cannot squander this opportunity to gain some ground and they won’t.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES