The final game of this high-stakes August 24 series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium brings an urgent tone to one of baseball’s oldest rivalries, with the Red Sox looking to complete a stunning four-game sweep and extend their dominance in the season series while the Yankees, mired in one of their most embarrassing stretches against Boston in recent history, desperately seek to stop the bleeding and salvage some pride in front of an increasingly restless home crowd. Boston has now won eight straight head-to-head meetings dating back to earlier in the season and has outscored New York by a significant margin during this stretch, exposing fundamental flaws in the Yankees’ execution on both sides of the ball. The Red Sox enter Sunday with growing confidence behind emerging offensive contributors like Nathaniel Lowe, Roman Anthony, and Trevor Story, who have provided timely hits, patient at-bats, and aggressive baserunning to complement the team’s consistent pitching. Saturday’s 12–1 blowout featured a dominant 11-strikeout performance from Garrett Crochet and highlighted Boston’s ability to take advantage of every defensive miscue, while New York’s lineup struggled to generate any spark outside of scattered singles. With Dustin May scheduled to start for Boston, the team will lean on his composure and ground ball-inducing arsenal to navigate a Yankees lineup that has looked increasingly lost, particularly with Aaron Judge absent and Giancarlo Stanton scuffling.

On the flip side, the Yankees will turn to veteran lefty Carlos Rodón, who has quietly put together a solid campaign with a 13–7 record and sub-3.30 ERA, but his workload and recent effectiveness under pressure remain concerns against a lineup that’s finding rhythm at the wrong time for New York. The Yankees’ defense, particularly in the infield, has become a glaring issue, contributing to extended innings and big frames for opponents. This matchup, while pivotal for standings, is even more crucial for morale, as a New York loss would not only mean a series sweep but further erode clubhouse confidence at a time when playoff contention is still technically in reach. From a momentum standpoint, the Red Sox have every reason to believe they can finish the job and head home with a key sweep over their bitterest rivals, while the Yankees will need a complete performance from their starter, bullpen, and lineup to halt the skid and reclaim some dignity. If Rodón can provide six or more quality innings and New York’s bats can find a way to break through early against May, they could change the narrative, but anything less may invite another chorus of boos and raise further questions about the team’s trajectory heading into the final month. With playoff implications still hanging in the balance and both teams jostling for Wild Card positioning, Sunday’s game feels like more than just another chapter in a historic rivalry—it’s a litmus test for resilience, execution, and whether the Yankees can summon pride when their season most desperately demands it.