The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees open a four-game series this weekend at Yankee Stadium, with the AL East standings and playoff positioning in the balance. According to ESPN, Boston enters at 73-60 in third place in the division, while New York sits at 75-58 in second.

The series arrives after the Yankees dropped their most recent matchup to the Houston Astros, 5-1, on Thursday at home. Christian Walker drove in two runs with a home run in that game, which gave Houston a one-game lead in the AL West per MLB.com.

Reporters have noted the playoff implications of the weekend matchup. Yahoo Sports observed that analysts expect the Red Sox and Yankees to meet in a Wild Card series when the October playoffs begin on September 29, making this regular-season series a meaningful preview. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has indicated he plans to compartmentalize ahead of the rivalry clash, per Yahoo Sports.