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Vince Velasquez up first as Phillies get rare visit from Yankees

The Bronx Bombers come to town tied for first in the AL East but could be without catcher Gary Sanchez. Vince Velasquez, Jake Arrieta and Zach Eflin will start for the Phillies in the series.

Giancarlo Stanton and the Yankees make a rare visit to Citizens Bank Park with a three-game series which starts on Monday.
Giancarlo Stanton and the Yankees make a rare visit to Citizens Bank Park with a three-game series which starts on Monday.Read moreSeth Wenig / AP

It's not really a rivalry, because they don't play that often. But when the Yankees come to town to take on the Phillies it's usually a spectacle. From Joltin' Joe to Jeter to now Judge, it's fun when the Bombers are here — especially if it's not October.

The Phils welcome the Yankees having won four series in a row, while New York was somehow swept in Tampa. Before this weekend, the Yanks hadn't lost three in a row all season. For this series, Tuesday offers the most attractive pitching matchup.

The schedule

The games are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all at 7 p.m. Monday's game is on NBCSP+, the other two are on NBCSP.

Stats: Phillies |Yankees

Pitching matchups

Yankees starter listed first

Monday: RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (1-0, 3.12) vs. RHP Vince Velasquez (5-7, 4.82)

Tuesday: RHP Luis Severino (11-2, 2.24) vs. RHP Jake Arrieta (5-5, 3.42)

Wednesday: RHP Luis Cessa (0-0, 3.00) vs. RHP Zach Eflin (5-2, 3.42)

The Yankees pushed back 37-year-old CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.18)  for an extra day of rest ahead of next weekend's first-place showdown against the Red Sox in New York.

Standings: Division | Wild Card

Ticket availability

As of Sunday afternoon, 4,000 tickets were available for Monday's game, 6,750 for Tuesday and 6,250 for Wednesday ranging roughly from $20-$52 according to John Weber, Phillies vice president of ticketing and projects.

Seasons so far

Yankees — Tied with the Red Sox atop the AL East. … Have been one of the best teams in baseball after starting just 9-9. … The Yanks lead the majors in home runs, which was expected after Aaron Judge blasted a rookie-record 52 last season and Giancarlo Stanton (59 in 2017) arrived in a trade. … The pitching staff, led by 24-year-old ace Luis Severino, was third in the league in ERA entering Sunday at 3.42.

Phillies — Also got off to a rough start, especially the manager, but would be in the postseason if it started today. Their top hitters all have taken turns being hot; lately it's been Carlos Santana and Odubel Herrera. The bullpen has been an adventure, but youngster Seranthony Dominguez has emerged as a closer. Wouldn't mind seeing how he performs in save situations against the heart of this Yankees lineup.

Three Yankees to watch

Giancarlo Stanton — He had a monster game in Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay with five hits, including his 19th home run. Phillies pitchers have done a respectable job at Citizens Bank Park on Stanton, who spent his first eight seasons with the Marlins. He's a .224 hitter at CBP with 12 homers in 227 plate appearances. He's a combined 4 for 26 off the Phillies' projected starters in this series (.154) with a homer off each.

Luis Severino —  He'll oppose Jake Arrieta on Tuesday. Severino was third in Cy Young voting last year and will be an all-star for the second straight year. He's never pitched at Citizens Bank Park and the only Phillie he's ever faced is Carlos Santana (3 for 13, .231, 2 HR).

Austin Romine — The backup catcher could be pressed into extra duty after star Gary Sanchez left Sunday's game with a groin and hip abductor injury. Sanchez is getting an MRI exam on Monday, so it's hard to see him playing in this series. Romine is hitting .305 and has started 24 games.

Three Phillies to watch

Odubel Herrera — He entered Sunday night hitting .425 in his last eight games (17-40). One of the streakiest players in baseball.

Jake Arrieta — Arrieta hasn't had a dominating performance in more than a month. This is a huge week for him. He'll get the Yankees on Tuesday and the Nationals on Sunday. Arrieta is 3-1 against the Yankees but hasn't faced them since 2012 when he was with just an ordinary pitcher for the Orioles.

Edubray Ramos — His 0.64 ERA led all relievers entering Sunday's play. Just about all of the Yankees thumpers are righthanded and the righthanded Ramos hadn't allowed an earned run in his last 15 appearances going into Sunday night's game in Washington.

Whoops: Edubray Ramos placed on the DL; Hector Neris called up

Head to head

This will be the first meeting since 2015 and the Yanks' first regular-season visit to Citizens Bank Park since 2006. The Phillies are 14-13 during the regular season, but the Yankees are 8-2 in two World Series meetings. New York won two of three here during the 2009 Fall Classic. This is their only series in 2018 — unless they meet for a third World Series.

History class

*Hideki Matsui, the Yankees hero in 2009, was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. He was the first designated hitter to win World Series MVP.

*Chase Utley hit five homers for the Phillies, tying the World Series record held by Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson.

*The turning point in the series was Johnny Damon's dash that ignited a three-run ninth inning in Game 4. With the score tied at four and two outs and no one on, Damon singled off Brad Lidge. He then stole second and third on the same play as the Phillies failed to cover third base because of a defensive shift in place against lefthanded hitter Mark Teixeira. The Yankees won the game and took a commanding 3-1 series lead. Can you imagine one of Gabe Kapler's defensive shifts costing the Phillies a World Series game?

*The last pitcher to start a World Series game for the Phillies is Pedro Martinez, the loser in Game 6 in 2009.

*The 2009 World Series title was the Yankees' 27th and most recent. Their sweep of the Phillies in the 1950 Fall Classic was their 19th title.

*The Phillies did not have Curt Simmons (17-8, 3.40) available to pitch in the 1950 World Series. He was called into military service in September as the Korean War was igniting. He returned to the Phillies in 1952.

*Joe DiMaggio practically won Game 2 by himself. He made a tremendous catch in the sixth inning to rob Del Ennis of extra bases and won it with a home run in the top of the 10th inning.

*Babe Ruth never played against the Phillies as a Yankee, but he appeared in the 1915 World Series against the Phils while with the Red Sox. His career ended in 1935 at Baker Bowl (Broad & Lehigh) when he was with the Boston Braves.

You look good in (pin)stripes

Notables who played for both teams

Bobby Abreu (1,353 games for Phillies, 372 for Yankees)

Johnny Callison (1,432, 137)

Charlie Hayes (519, 262)

Jim Konstanty (314, 62)

Sparky Lyle (92, 420)

Terry Mulholland (169, 24)

Source: Baseball-Reference.com

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