It’s Friday, which means it’s time to slide into the weekend with MLB. There are many interesting games on the schedule starting today, but most baseball fans will want to see if Gerrit Cole can continue to win for the New York Yankees.

Yankees Face The Red Sox

If anyone has become the ace of the New York Yankees’ rotation in the 2023 MLB season, it is Gerrit Cole, who has yet to know defeat in a total of 13 starts this year. The 32-year-old righty has been synonymous with consistency this season, as he hasn’t had an outing where he doesn’t reach five innings, let alone exceed five earned runs.

This resulted in Cole posting a 7-0 record with a 2.82 ERA, 79.2 innings pitched, 84 strikeouts and 1.13 WHIP, numbers he will now have to try to preserve against his biggest rival, the Boston Red Sox.

This will be the first time this season that the Newport Beach, California, native faces the ninth-ranked team, and will do so to open the three-game series at Yankee Stadium. Cole has already measured most of Boston’s lineup at least once, with Kiké Hernandez and Justin Turner as the main Achilles heels, who hit .412 and .500 in 17 and six at-bats, respectively.

Still, Cole will be looking for his eighth win and third straight Friday night, after a pair of strong performances against the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, where he could seal the win.

Braves Have An Easy Night

Ozzie Albies sent Atlanta Braves fans into jubilation with his three-run, two-out home run in the tenth inning of Thursday’s game against the New York Mets. Atlanta prevailed 13-10 to sweep them in the three-game series.

Orlando Arcia hit a solo home run off closer David Robertson in the ninth inning to lead the NL East leaders to their fifth straight victory. New York, which has lost six straight matches for the first time since August 2019, had won 122 straight games before the ninth round.

This time, the Mets (30-33) squandered two home runs by rookie Francisco Alvarez and an early grand slam by Brandon Nimmo. Justin Verlander, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, seemed ineffective.

Atlanta overcame a 9-5 deficit and rallied from at least three runs to win all three series. Albies homered off Tommy Hunter (0-1) to score pinch runner Sam Hilliard, who went automatic at second, and Travis d’Arnaud, who drew a base on balls.

The Braves now face the Washington Nationals in the first of three games tonight. That will continue to help their record, as the Nationals are the worst team in the National League this season.

Rays Find Success with Arozarena

A magical night arrived for Randy Arozarena on Wednesday. Thanks to their home run in the ninth inning, the Tampa Bay Rays, the best team in MLB, beat the Minnesota Twins, leaders of the American Central League, 2-1.

Minnesota had tied it early in the inning, but Arozarena found a pitch from Jhoan Duran (1-2) and the ball disappeared into the bleachers between center and right field. Thus, Arozarena closed a good night, going 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. At the end of the game and while being interviewed, the Mexican baseball player was bathed by his teammates to continue the celebration of the victory.

Similarly, his compatriot, Isaac Paredes, contributed a home run, his ninth of the season, and a good catch for a double play, with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning; He went 2-1 with one scored and one produced.

Jason Adam (1-2) hit a save for the fourth time in 13 occasions, allowing the Twins to recover in the ninth inning. He hit Donovan Solano with one out and walked Max Kepler after runner Michael A. Taylor stole second.

That win gave strength to the Rays, which they then used to beat the Twins once again on Wednesday. As a result, Tampa beat Minnesota in all three games of the series, including a 7-0 shutout in the first.

The Rays now enter a more challenging series. They begin a three-game contest against the American League West-leading Texas Rangers. The overall winner of the series has the potential to predict what will happen in the postseason.