It's been nine whole months since the Boston Red Sox have faced off against the New York Yankees, but fans' long wait will actually come to an end slightly earlier than expected.
First pitch for Friday's game between Boston and New York at Fenway Park was initially scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. However, the Red Sox announced Wednesday afternoon that game time had been moved up 40 minutes to 6:30 p.m. ET.
The change was made, according to the announcement, as a courtesy to those who also want to watch Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks won't be in town that night, but surely many Red Sox fans will want to watch their NBA team potentially clinch a championship.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Games between the Red Sox and Yankees are notoriously long, even in the pitch-clock era, but any additional breathing room could make a difference. Based on last year's results, Friday's showdown could now be over by 9:10 p.m. ET – well before the Celtics and Mavericks go to halftime.
Boston and New York haven't gone head to head in the 2024 regular season thus far, instead completing 22 series against other opponents. The last time the Red Sox and Yankees played each other, not including Spring Training, was when they split a double-header at Fenway Park on Sept. 14, 2023.
Two of baseball's most historic franchises will get to renew their rivalry Friday, with Boston looking to surge over .500 and New York trying to establish a stronger grip on first place.
Still, as demonstrated by the schedule change, the series-opener likely won't be the No. 1 priority for Boston sports fans that night. The Celtics, after all, haven't won a title in 16 years.
