Oakland @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 31, 2015 ) NY Yankees 0, Oakland 3

The New York Yankees are fighting off a trio of other teams for first place in the American League East and could use some momentum heading into the All-Star break. The Oakland Athletics, who visit the Yankees for the start of a three-game series Tuesday, sit in last place in the AL West despite owning a better run differential than New York.

The Athletics are among the most unlucky teams in the league this season and are gearing up to be sellers at the trade deadline at the end of the month despite their plus-49 run differential. Oakland dropped six of its last 10 games and three of those losses came by one run, including Sunday’s 2-1 setback against Seattle. The Yankees are trying to find more consistency in an offense that is averaging 2.5 runs over the last seven games, culminating in an 8-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday. New York could find runs hard to come by again Tuesday when they face Athletics ace Sonny Gray, who opposes Nathan Eovaldi.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (9-3, 2.09 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (8-2, 4.52)

Gray battled salmonella last week and is making his first start since earning a win at Texas on June 25. The 25-year-old allowed eight earned runs in 12 innings over his last two turns to see his ERA jump from 1.60 to 2.09. Gray went eight innings against New York on May 29 and scattered two runs and four hits while striking out five to pick up the win.

Eovaldi is riding a hot streak with three straight wins and is coming off the best of the bunch, when he held the Los Angeles Angels scoreless over 5 1/3 innings. The Texan did not go more than six innings in any of those last three starts but let up a total of four runs in 17 1/3 frames. Eovaldi yielded a season-high 11 hits but limited the damage to three runs in 4 2/3 innings at Oakland on May 30 without factoring in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Gray was named to the All-Star Game for the Athletics, though he would be on schedule to pitch again on Sunday and would therefore be ineligible to pitch in next Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

2. New York did not have a starter voted onto the AL All-Star team for the second time since 1992 but 1B Mark Teixeira (20 home runs, 59 RBIs) and RHP Dellin Betances (1.50 ERA, 68 strikeouts in 42 innings) were named as reserves and OF Brett Gardner (.297 batting average, .854 OPS and 15 steals) is up for the Final Vote.

3. Oakland C Stephen Vogt, who was named to his first All-Star roster as a reserve, is 3-for-22 over his last six games.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Yankees 1