Yanks vs. Padres Series Preview

Yankees - Padres

@ Yankee Stadium
(3 games)

The interleague schedule continues as the San Diego Padres visit the Yanks at Yankee Stadium for a three game series beginning tonight. This will be the first time these two teams meet in the regular season since June 11-13 of 2004, a series that saw the Yankees take two of three.

Chien-Ming Wang is done for at least 10 weeks, but that doesn't change the fact that the Yankees have been playing their best baseball of the season. Since May 22nd they're 17-8 and they've won 5 of their last 6. The recent good play has brought them to within 3.5 of the Wild Card leading Rays and 5.5 games (4 in the loss column) behind first place Boston in the AL East.

After losing 2 of 3 to the Indians the Padres come into town in 4th place in the NL West with a 31 and 40 record. But luckily for them nobody in the NL West is running away with the division and they find themselves just 6.5 games out.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Tonight @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: MY9, Radio: WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (6-5, 4.64) vs. Randy Wolf LHP (5-4, 3.83)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
Darrell Rasner RHP (3-4, 3.64) vs. Jake Peavy RHP (5-3, 2.64)

Game 3 - Thursday @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
Joba Chamberlain RHP (1-2, 2.48) vs. Josh Banks RHP (2-0, 1.29)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Alex Rodriguez: The reigning MVP has really turned it on since returning from a quad injury hitting .366 with 8 HR, 26 RBI, and a 1.179 OPS over his last 26 games. In the last two weeks his numbers are even better, with a .409 average, 4 HR, 14 RBI, and an OPS of 1.259. For the season A-Rod has raised his totals to .326, with 12 HR, 37 RBI, and a 1.014 OPS.

He's been decent against the Padres in his career hitting .280 with 4 HR, 12 RBI and an OPS of .844 in 23 games.

Rodriguez vs. Wolf: NR
Rodriguez vs. Peavy: NR
Rodriguez vs. Banks: NR

Padres: Adrian Gonzalez: Gonzalez has been by far the Padres best hitter, and one of the better hitters in the NL to start the season. He's hitting .296 with 19 HR (tied for 2nd in the NL), 62 RBI (tied for the NL lead), and an OPS of .913. This will be the first time that Gonzalez will face the Yankees in his career.

Gonzalez vs. Pettitte: 1-for-5, BB
Gonzalez vs. Rasner: NR
Gonzalez vs. Joba: NR

INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Chien-Ming Wang is out for at least 10 weeks with a mid-foot tearing of the Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon.
- Ian Kennedy is on the 15-day DL with with a strained right lat muscle and bursitis under the right shoulder blade.
- Phil Hughes is out until at least August with a stress fracture of the rib.
- Brian Bruney is out with an injured foot, but could return after the All Star Game.
- Jonathan Albaladejo is out for the year with a stress fracture in his right elbow.
- Chris Britton is on the 15-day DL with a pulled right ribcage.

Padres:
- Scott Hairston is day-to-day with an elbow injury. Manager Bud Black said Hairston likely will be given two or three days off.
- Brian Giles is day-to-day with a shoulder injury, he didn't start Sunday but was available as a pinch-hitter.
- Paul McAnulty is day-to-day with a strained lower back.