NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 01: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Nick Nelson #79 of the New York Yankees in action against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on August 01, 2020 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 5-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Rays limped into Yankee Stadium having just been embarrassed on their home turf by the Texas Rangers, a last-place-level team that bullied them to the artificial ground.
The Yankees saw that effort and, with the benefit of an off day in between and 48 hours to rest and regroup, extended their rivals and olive branch and chose to start a reliever who’d never done this before.