Red Sox vs. Yankees Position Breakdown: Who Has the Edge and Why

We've had plenty of time to anticipate the rematch, but it's finally almost here.

On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox will look to settle the score against the New York Yankees. They have had a full year to think about how Cam Schlittler shut them down in a winner-take-all Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, and they'll now get a chance to win the rematch in an identical best-of-three series.

One way to dissect a rivalry matchup like this is to go position-by-position, so we'll do so here with a quick breakdown of why we give the edge to one side vs. another.

Catcher: Adley Rutschman (BOS) vs. Austin Wells (NYY)

Even if Rutschman hasn't been All-Star caliber since the trade, he's light years better offensively than Wells. And he homered on Sunday, so perhaps he can ride the momentum into the Bronx.

Advantage: Red Sox

First base: Willson Contreras (BOS) vs. Luis Garcia Jr./Paul Goldschmidt (NYY)

Maybe two heads are better than one, but if the Red Sox are facing Goldschmidt, it means a lefty is on the mound and one or two of the Yankees' best bats are out of the lineup. Even playing hurt, we have to show respect to the slugger who's carried Boston all year.

Advantage: Red Sox

Second base: Nick Sogard/Isiah Kiner-Falefa (BOS) vs. Jazz Chisholm Jr./Anthony Volpe (NYY)

There are three players in this quartet who all bring something to the table and might be able to help their team steal a game. There's only one with the two-way talent to take one over. Chisholm gets the nod, even in a down year with injury concerns lingering.

Advantage: Yankees

Shortstop: Trevor Story (BOS) vs. George Lombard Jr. (NYY)

This would be a layup in the Yankees' favor if we were discussing the two players going into next season. It's more even now due to Lombard's inexperience, but we'll still give the youngster the nod because he's been hitting the cover off the ball of late.

Advantage: Yankees

Third base: Caleb Durbin (BOS) vs. José Caballero / maybe Ryan McMahon (NYY)

Respect to Caballero and his ability to impact the game with speed and defense. That said, Durbin can do both of those things as well, and he's a more consistent offensive performer.

Advantage: Red Sox

Left field: Jarren Duran (BOS) vs. Cody Bellinger (NYY)

Maybe Roman Anthony gets the nod here for Boston, but either way, Bellinger's All-Star status and comfort hitting at Yankee Stadium makes this an easy choice.

Advantage: Yankees

Center field: Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS) vs. Spencer Jones (NYY)

Rafaela might be playing on a banged-up leg, but he's such a sure thing defensively that it's hard to trust the high-upside, high-strikeout rookie Jones.

Advantage: Red Sox

Right field: Wilyer Abreu (BOS) vs. Heliot Ramos (NYY)

Abreu announced himself as a true everyday star this year by hitting better against lefties than righties — which makes it all the more unbelievable that he was benched in the first two games of this series last year for Nate Eaton.

Advantage: Red Sox

Designated hitter: Roman Anthony (BOS) vs. Ben Rice/maybe Aaron Judge (NYY)

Crazy to ever write something like "it doesn't matter if Aaron Judge is involved," but either way, the clear advantage here goes to the Pinstripers.

Advantage: Yankees

Starting rotation: Payton Tolle/Sonny Gray/Ranger Suárez (BOS) vs. Cam Schlittler/Max Fried/Gerrit Cole (NYY)

The Red Sox went out and got Gray and Suárez to pitch in games like these, and they're darn glad they did after seeing what those two did this year. But it stacks up just short on paper against the firepower of a presumptive Cy Young winner in Schlittler, plus two veterans with nine All-Star selections to their name.

Advantage: Yankees

Bullpen: Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, more (BOS) vs. David Bednar, Brent Headrick, more (NYY)

This is closer than Red Sox fans might like it to be — go look up what Headrick is doing this year in the Bronx. That said, Chapman and Whitlock are guys you want to hand the ball to when the season is on the line, and it very well may be when both pitch on multiple occasions this week.

Advantage: Red Sox

Final tally: Red Sox 6, Yankees 5 (not indicative of a series prediction)

Add us as a preferred source on Google