MLB Picks and best odds: Boston vs New York - underdog Red Sox ( ) have a point to prove over Yankees ( ) in what could be a high scoring encounter

Our MLB expert looks ahead to this classic American League rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees in the Bronx as Aaron Judge looks to break Roger Maris’s home run record in Yankee Stadium...

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees - © Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports

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Red Sox at Yankees - records don't matter in fierce AL rivalry

Despite the fact there is little to play for between these two great rivals a clash between the Red Sox and Yankees is always worth watching - © Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

This is one of the fiercest rivalries in baseball. Even as we sit with the Boston Red Sox mired in last place and the New York Yankees in first in the American League East. The Sox have been a team of extreme ups and downs. They have two World Series rings and four first-place finishes in the last 11 years. They have also finished in the last four times with this season looking like the fifth. The Yankees have virtually locked up the AL East, but that doesn’t matter much when it comes to these teams.

Rich Hill, aka Dick Mountain, will be taking the mound for the Sox on Friday. The left-hander has been a decent third starter for Boston this season at 7-7 and a 4.70 ERA. Surprisingly, he hasn’t faced the Yankees this year in his 23 starts. He has been hittable since the All-Star break, allowing four or more runs in five of his eight starts. The Yankees are right-handed heavy as a lineup and could get to Hill early.

New York counters with Gerrit Cole. The ace has been excellent this year as usual. He leads the league in strikeouts with 236. However, he also leads the league in home runs allowed with 29. That will be the tactic the Sox will use to get to Cole as they have during the season. In 16 innings that Cole has thrown against Boston in 2022, he has given up six homers.

Red Sox player to watch: Reese McGuire

This may be an unlikely Sox player to see here, but the catcher has been raking in his limited time in Boston. McGuire came to the Red Sox at the trade deadline from the Chicago White Sox. At that time, he was slashing a miserable .225/.261/.285. During his stint on the East Coast, the left-handed hitter has a line of .394/.429/.521.

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Yankees player to watch: Gerrit Cole

Aaron Judge would be the easy answer here during his historic season, but Cole’s accomplishments have been largely overlooked. He is 12-7 with a 3.41 ERA and has thrown 24 more innings than the next guy on the Yankees. He has struck out at least eight batters in 17 of his 30 outings. While Boston seems to hit him well, Cole will be looking to tame his rivals with only a couple of starts before the playoffs.

MLB quick picks for Friday, September 23:

- Phillies vs. Braves @

- Mets vs Athletics Under

- Angels vs Twins Over if the line is 7.5 or better