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.

Recently, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred noted that the league could realign geographically. FOX Sports outlined a plan that would group four major teams.

Giancarlo Stanton, Cody Bellinger and Jose Caballero each hit two. Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ben Rice also went deep.

How to watch the MLB game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, as well as first-pitch time and team news.

Right-hander Jordan Hicks continues to struggle, as he allowed two runs in the ninth inning on Monday. The 28-year-old now has a 6.61 ERA in 28 appearances this season and a 7.07 ERA in 15 outings since the Red Sox acquired him in the Rafael Devers trade. However, manager Alex Cora remained committed to Hicks in the postgame presser, via NESN.

A fire alarm at Fenway Park caused the Red Sox game against the Orioles to be briefly delayed in the top of the eighth inning on Tuesday night. Dylan Beavers was at the plate for the Orioles

Red Sox manager Alex Cora offers curious explanation for not sending pinch-runner Nate Eaton home on an 11th-inning fly ball

And according to MLB Insider Francys Romero, Chapman has made some personal history over the last nine games. Aroldis Chapman leads all relievers in ERA across MLB with a 1.15 mark. For the first time in his MLB career, he has 9 consecutive games without allowing a hit.