Payton Tolle, straight outta Oklahoma just like the legend Jim Ross, dropped the absolute perfect word yesterday to describe what we’ve got brewing: “slobberknocker.” He said it on the @BBisntBoring podcast, apparently because his dad wanted him to, and you know what? Tolle nailed it. We’re looking at a three-game battle between the Red Sox and Yankees, and the margins are razor-thin. This isn’t just another series, folks, this is going to be pure chaos.
The Infield Showdown Is On
When you start digging into the “Tale of the Tape” for these infields, it becomes clear why Tolle is right. The Yankees are going to be playing chess, not checkers, especially with lefty starters scheduled for Games 1 and 3 against Boston. Expect a ton of platooning and substitutions from New York in the infield. Against left-handers, their usual lineup from left to right has been Amed Rosario, George Lombard, Anthony Volpe, and Paul Goldschmidt. That’s a strong defensive setup with some serious pop.
But when a right-hander is on the mound for Game 2, the Yankees pivot hard. We’ll likely see Ryan McMahon, Lombard, Jazz Chisholm, and Luis Garcia, with Jose Caballero ready to be sprinkled in. Now, Chisholm is an interesting case here. His 2026 average is .218, and his career against lefties is .227. Remember last year, in Game One against Garrett Crochet, when manager Boone left both Chisholm and Ben Rice on the bench in a 3-1 loss? Rice didn’t even see the field. That won’t happen again with Rice, but Chisholm could absolutely see less time until that lefty starter is out of the game. Boone clearly isn’t afraid to make tough calls.
Garcia vs. Contreras: A Slugfest No One Saw Coming
Over on the Red Sox side, their infield seems a bit more set, especially if Willson Contreras is healthy. Caleb Durbin, Contreras, Nick Sogard, Trevor Story, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Andruw Monasterio are their guys. Sogard, called up on July 29th, has been a fixture, starting all but three games since then. Story, back from the IL on August 30th, has also started all but three games in that same stretch. These guys are locked in and playing heavy minutes.
But the real headline-grabbing battle within the infield has to be between the Yankees’ Luis Garcia and the Red Sox’s Willson Contreras. Garcia was a sneaky pickup for New York at the trade deadline, flying under the radar even though he was leading the National League in slugging percentage at the time. His season, and Contreras’, have been eerily similar, both ranking 8th and 9th in MLB in slugging. Think about that! They’re sandwiched right behind Junior Caminero and Pete Alonso, and just ahead of Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Schwarber on that list. That’s elite company for two guys who are about to go head-to-head. The rest of the infield on both sides leaves something to be desired, but this specific matchup? Pure fireworks.
This three-game series is going to be a pure test of grit, strategy, and who wants it more. With these razor-thin margins and some serious slugging power on display, every pitch and every out is going to count. Get ready for some wild baseball, because this “slobberknocker” is about to go down!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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