Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees hit the road to take on the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-game series starting on Friday...

Preview

Will Giancarlo Stanton play right field on the road?

Stanton has been the Yankees' hottest hitter for weeks now, and it's helped New York's offense while Aaron Judge was on the IL and relegated to DH duties when he returned. 

A big part of that is Stanton's ability to play right field. Of course, it's not too much to ask of Stanton to man right in Yankee Stadium, but now that the team is on the road, how will the Yankees utilize their slugger?  The Yankees are much better when Stanton and Judge are in the lineup but if Judge isn't ready, will Aaron Boone risk having Stanton play in the outfield?

The Aaron Judge of it all

Judge continues to scuffle since returning from the IL. In eight games since getting back in the lineup, Judge is 5-for-25 with eight strikeouts and just one extra-base hit. Granted that one hit was a home run back on Aug. 12, so perhaps the issues with the flexor strain haven't completely sapped his power.  It's something to monitor as the Yankees hit the road, but even more pressing is whether he can get back on the field.

The Yankees need Judge to play right field because he's a good fielder and, as previously stated, allows Stanton to play DH and give them that dual-threat. Boone said there's a possibility Judge can play in the outfield in St. Louis, but we'll see if that's the case when the series starts on Friday.

Can Max Fried find his mojo again?

Fried has not been the same since the blister on his throwing hand popped up before the All-Star break. The left-hander has made four starts since the Midsummer Classic and he has been inconsistent, pitching to a 1-2 record while allowing 14 runs across 22 innings. 

In his last start, Fried allowed four runs on eight hits over just five innings against the Astros in what would be a series-clinching win for Houston last Sunday. The start before that, he allowed four runs over five innings, again, to the Rangers. 

If the Yankees are going to make the postseason, they'll need their best pitcher to pitch at his best and he'll need to be when he takes the mound on Saturday. Fried is scheduled to pitch against Sonny Gray (11-5, 4.06 ERA), so runs could be hard to come by, especially if the Yankees lineup is going to remain inconsistent.

With the way Carlos Rodon and Will Warren have been pitching of late, Fried returning to peak form for the stretch run could be exactly what the Yankees need to clinch a wild card spot or better. 

Will Paul Goldschmidt land on IL?

Following the Yankees' loss to the Twins on Wednesday, it was revealed that Goldschmidt is dealing with a knee sprain and could be placed on the IL. Now, the veteran first baseman believes he avoided the worst and some time off is all he'll need to avoid being placed on the IL but the Yankees still have a decision to make.

If Goldschmidt is unable to at least be a pinch-hitter like he wasn't on Wednesday, the options for first base are limited. Ben Rice has become Goldschmidt's backup, and while Cody Bellinger is also capable, the bench is down too many bodies who hit right-handed, including Austin Slater and Amed Rosario. Rosario could be activated this weekend, and could be Goldschmidt's replacement if the Yankees decide to put him on the IL but that still leaves the Yankees without a viable right-handed bat. 

It's a situation to monitor when the series starts on Friday.

Lineup/Bullpen changes

As the race to make a postseason spot continues, Boone has begun to favor certain hitters over others. Trent Grisham is having a career year and that has taken playing time away from Jasson Dominguez. Austin Wells' slump that has lasted all summer has made Rice the No. 1 catcher at the moment. There's no reason that Boone will revert to using Wells and Dominguez in the starting lineup this weekend but if Rice or Grisham start to slump, it could happen.

And then there's the bullpen. Ryan Yarbrough and Fernando Cruz had rehab outings with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday evening, and if both come out of it feeling healthy, they could be in play to return to the team soon. 

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Aaron Judge 

This will be the series Judge finally awakens offensively. He needed to get his first home run out of the way, and now that he has, he can get back to what he does best.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Max Fried

It's hard to bet against Fried, it's even tougher to bet that Fried will have three consecutive bad starts.

Which Cardinals player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

Willson Contreras

The veteran right-hander seems to hit home runs in bunches and after missing a game due to being hit in the foot by a pitch, he should be fully rested.

Phillies' night sours in 7th inning of series-opening loss to Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — For the first time since being swept in late June by the Astros, the Phillies have a true losing streak.

They fell to a third consecutive defeat Thursday night at Nationals Park, dropping a 3-2 game to Washington in the opener of a four-game series. 

The 69-52 Phillies have totaled three runs during the three-game streak. The team is now 4-3 on its 10-game road trip. 

Starter Jesus Luzardo dipped to 11-6 on the season. He went six-plus innings and allowed four hits and three runs. Luzardo struck out seven and walked three. 

Luzardo’s sweeper was especially sharp in the early going. He notched five strikeouts over the first two innings, four on sweepers.

The sweeper is a new pitch for Luzardo this season and it’s been elite. Entering Thursday, batters had a .189 average and 43.8 percent whiff rate against it, according to Baseball Savant.

The Phillies didn’t need any loud contact against Nationals righty Brad Lord to take the lead in the third inning. Bryson Stott led off by squibbing a double over the third-base bag and Trea Turner followed with an infield single. After Kyle Schwarber struck out, Bryce Harper tapped an RBI ground ball to shortstop. 

Washington tied it up an inning later. Paul DeJong cracked a first-pitch Luzardo fastball just over the left-field wall. 

The Phils bounced right back with two outs in the fifth. 

Turner picked up another infield hit, and this one came with a shattered bat. Schwarber then clubbed a 3-1 heater off the right-center wall and Turner scored the go-ahead run. He added a third infield knock in the seventh inning. 

Luzardo’s seventh was not smooth at all.

DeJong walked, Riley Adams doubled and Daylen Lile walked. Luzardo exited and Orion Kerkering entered with no outs and the bases loaded.

He couldn’t escape the inherited trouble. Jose Tena ripped a one-out hit to left-center through the Phillies’ drawn-in infield and Washington went on top.

The Phillies threatened to even the game in the top of the ninth but couldn’t manage it. 

Max Kepler singled and Edmundo Sosa got him to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Bryson Stott then grounded out to first and the game ended with Turner waving at a Cole Henry sinker in on his hands. 

Bohm’s rehab stint 

Alec Bohm went 2 for 5 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley’s Thursday night game. That puts him at 3 for 17 overall with a homer and a triple in four rehab outings as he works his way back from a fractured left rib. 

How much longer will Bohm’s rehab assignment last? 

“Through tomorrow for sure, and then we’ll see,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said pregame. 

Pitching plans 

The scheduled starters Friday night are the Phils’ Zack Wheeler (10-5, 2.68 ERA) and the Nats’ MacKenzie Gore (5-12, 4.09 ERA). 

With the Phillies moving to a six-man rotation for the time being, Taijuan Walker will start Saturday and Aaron Nola will return Sunday. Ranger Suarez is set to pitch Monday in Philadelphia against the Mariners. 

Phillies' night sours in 7th inning of series-opening loss to Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — For the first time since being swept in late June by the Astros, the Phillies have a true losing streak.

They fell to a third consecutive defeat Thursday night at Nationals Park, dropping a 3-2 game to Washington in the opener of a four-game series. 

The 69-52 Phillies have totaled three runs during the three-game streak. The team is now 4-3 on its 10-game road trip. 

“Just probably trying to do a little bit too much,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of his club’s recent struggles pushing across runs. “We’ve got to get back to using the entire field, doing the little things. Big things will happen.

“It’s not like they’re not working at it. You can hear a bunch of hitters in the cages right now. We’ve just got to fight through it.”

Starter Jesus Luzardo dipped to 11-6 on the season. He went six-plus innings and allowed four hits and three runs. Luzardo struck out seven and walked three. 

Luzardo’s sweeper was especially sharp in the early going. He notched five strikeouts over the first two innings, four on sweepers.

The sweeper is a new pitch for Luzardo this season and it’s been elite. Entering Thursday, batters had a .189 average and 43.8 percent whiff rate against it, according to Baseball Savant.

“Being able to land that thing has been big all year,” Luzardo said. “Just being able to throw it for strikes, throw it for chase, throw it in big counts, leverage counts — maybe 3-2 or 2-2 counts where most guys are looking for the fastball. … I think I went through a rough stretch where I didn’t have a really good feel for it, but lately it’s been a good weapon for me again.”

The Phillies didn’t need any loud contact against Nationals righty Brad Lord to take the lead in the third inning. Bryson Stott led off by squibbing a double over the third-base bag and Trea Turner followed with an infield single. After Kyle Schwarber struck out, Bryce Harper tapped an RBI ground ball to shortstop. 

Washington tied it up an inning later. Paul DeJong cracked a first-pitch Luzardo fastball just over the left-field wall. 

The Phils bounced right back with two outs in the fifth. 

Turner picked up another infield hit, and this one came with a shattered bat. Schwarber then clubbed a 3-1 heater off the right-center wall and Turner scored the go-ahead run. He added a third infield knock in the seventh inning. 

Luzardo’s seventh was not smooth at all.

DeJong walked, Riley Adams doubled and Daylen Lile walked. Luzardo exited and Orion Kerkering entered with no outs and the bases loaded.

“I thought I threw the ball well, felt really good going into the seventh,” Luzardo said. “Just frustrated with the way it ended, obviously, walking two guys. … The hit happens, but the walks are kind of what rubs me the wrong way about the outing.

“But besides that, I think the first six were great. We got through a good lineup, just kind of mixed and matched, kept them off balance.”

Kerkering couldn’t escape the inherited trouble. Jose Tena ripped a one-out hit to left-center through the Phillies’ drawn-in infield and the Nationals went on top.

The Phillies threatened to even the game in the top of the ninth but couldn’t manage it. 

Max Kepler singled and Edmundo Sosa got him to second base with a sacrifice bunt on a 3-1 count.

“Just the fact that we wanted to tie it up, because I felt like we had more bullpen than they did,” Thomson said of the bunt decision. “And win it in extra innings if we didn’t score two in the ninth.”

Bryson Stott grounded out to first and the game ended with Turner waving at a Cole Henry sinker in on his hands. 

Bohm’s rehab stint 

Alec Bohm went 2 for 5 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley’s Thursday night game. That puts him at 3 for 17 overall with a homer and a triple in four rehab outings as he works his way back from a fractured left rib. 

How much longer will Bohm’s rehab assignment last? 

“Through tomorrow for sure, and then we’ll see,” Thomson said pregame. 

Pitching plans 

The scheduled starters Friday night are the Phils’ Zack Wheeler (10-5, 2.68 ERA) and the Nats’ MacKenzie Gore (5-12, 4.09 ERA). 

With the Phillies moving to a six-man rotation for the time being, Taijuan Walker will start Saturday and Aaron Nola will return Sunday. Ranger Suarez is set to pitch Monday in Philadelphia against the Mariners. 

Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza met with reporters ahead of Thursday's rubber game with the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.

Here's what the second-year manager had to say...

Frankie Montas available out of the bullpen

Mendoza confirmed that Thursday night's game will mark the first time that starter-turned-reliever Frankie Montas will be available to pitch out of the bullpen, given the fact that he would be pitching on his standard four days rest. 

And while the club anticipates using him in a Paul Blackburn-esque role as a long man, Mendoza made it clear that life in the bullpen isn't always that straightforward. 

"That’s the one thing when we were talking to him, we’ll do our best to give him more time to get loose, but life in the bullpen, things happen fast," Mendoza said. "Right now, his spot is in the bullpen and whenever we call his name, we’re counting on him. So, he’s going to play a big role for us up there, and he’ll step out."

"He’s on regular rest," Mendoza said later. "…Probably a multi-inning guy, like the long man out of the bullpen, but you never know. Things happen, and who knows if we play extra innings and he’s pitching because of where we’re at. As of right now, I see him more in the Blackburn role, length, but there are going to be days that, depending on where we’re at bullpen-wise, he might be asked to pitch multiple innings."

Nothing changing with Clay Holmes' role

With Clay Holmes' season innings count now at 126.0, the righty is closing in on doubling his previous career best of 70.0 innings in 2021. And while there was never a doubt that Holmes would blow past his previous innings numbers, given that this is his first full season as a starter, some signs of fatigue are beginning to show. 

Holmes has pitched to a 5.79 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP over his last seven starts, and he has not made it past the sixth inning since June 7. 

Still, Mendoza believes that Holmes is in a good place physically, noting that he checks in with he training staff after every outing, as does every other starter.

"He continues to check those boxes, and in talking to him, he keeps saying he’s fine," Mendoza said. "The numbers and everything keep saying that he’s in a good place. We will continue to monitor it, but nothing differently."

So Holmes will remain in the starting rotation?

"Yeah," Mendoza said. "I mean, he’s going to keep getting opportunities."