(Photo credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images)

The rivalry is back, early.

For the first time since 2022, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are squaring off in April. Their initial three-game series of the season -- and their first encounter since the 2025 American League wild-card round -- begins Tuesday night in Boston.

New York, which holds a one-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays atop the AL East standings, completed a three-game series sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 7-0 win on Sunday. Now, a nine-game, three-city road trip begins.

'To put up some big runs was huge,' Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge said. 'We'll definitely take this momentum into those series.'

Judge and first baseman Ben Rice both went deep on Sunday, giving them an MLB-leading 17 home runs this season as a duo. Judge's two-run shot in the first inning proved to be all that the Yankees needed.

Rice, who hails from Cohasset, Mass., entered Tuesday leading the league in OPS (1.276) after homering in four consecutive games.

While the left-handed hitter sometimes has been held out of the lineup against southpaws, it is becoming increasingly difficult for manager Aaron Boone to make that decision.

'The bottom line is, he's turning into -- or even is -- one of the really outstanding hitters in this league,' Boone said.

Eight of the Yankees' 13 wins this season have featured at least two home runs. Trent Grisham also joined that action with a three-run blast on Sunday.

'This lineup last year had five guys who hit 30 homers,' Grisham said. 'That's felt by other teams.'

Still in search of his first win, right-hander Luis Gil (0-1, 7.00 ERA) will take the ball on Tuesday. He allowed all four runs on three homers across a five-inning start last Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels.

Gil has enjoyed great career success against the Red Sox, posting a 2-1 record and 0.99 ERA in five starts. He pitched 11 innings and allowed only two runs to Boston last season.

The Red Sox scored six runs in the final three innings en route to an 8-6 Patriots' Day win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday, securing a split of the four-game series.

After scoring four runs over the previous three days, the 12-hit breakout and a win were much-needed, especially with seven relievers being called upon after starter Sonny Gray exited in the third inning with right hamstring tightness.

'Sonny's gonna get an MRI (Tuesday),' Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. 'We don't think it's serious, but we have to see what's going on.'

Monday marked Boston's first win this season when its starter lasted fewer than six innings (1-13).

On top of the hits, five of which came with runners in scoring position, the Red Sox accepted eight walks and stole three bases. Ceddanne Rafaela's two-out, two-run double in the seventh was the game-changing swing.

'We put pressure on the opposition. That's where we're at right now, right?' Cora said. 'There were some good at-bats. ... That's what it's going to take for us to score runs. We will maximize the roster.'

Cora's club would certainly benefit from 24-year-old left-hander Connelly Early (1-0, 2.29) giving another quality start as well.

Early has not allowed more than two runs in any of his four outings this season and looks to build upon six innings of one-run ball in last Wednesday's win over the Minnesota Twins, which was Boston's last game before the current homestand.

'He looks different out there. He looks just so calm, always,' Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony said. 'We saw what he did in his debut, how unfazed he was. He started in the postseason. ... He looks like he has 10 years (of experience).'

Early's only history with New York was a start in the third and deciding game of last season's playoff series. He fanned six while allowing three earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.

--Field Level Media