The Red Sox and the Yankees begin an important series against one another Thursday in New York. Both teams are five games back of the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East standings, but the series is a chance for either team to make some headway between second and third place.

Adding two new teams would allow MLB to even the two leagues out at 16 teams apiece, making daily interleague play no longer necessary. It also creates the opportunity for realignment. Manfred hinted at the possibility of wholesale realignment based on geography during an appearance in ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball booth this past weekend.

The Boston Red Sox are adding veteran first baseman Nathaniel Lowe after the Washington Nationals designated him for assignment, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Boston Red Sox are taking a low-risk gamble on first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. First base has been a problem position for the Red Sox all year, so when Lowe became available to sign for the veteran minimum,

The Boston Red Sox signed first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to a one-year contract Monday, two days after he was released by the Washington Nationals. To make room on the roster, the Red Sox placed outfielder Rob Refsnyder on the 10-day injured list with a strained muscle on his left side.

The Boston Red Sox’s bullpen has been among the best in baseball this season, yet this weekend proved forgettable for the relief corps and highlighted a potential weakness for the team as it fights for a postseason spot.