The annual subway series is typically a home and home affair, with half the games at Yankee Stadium, and the other half at Citi Field. In the condensed 2020 season, the entire series is taking place this weekend (save for one midweek game), and entirely at Yankee Stadium. Not that the Mets' mind. The Mets have a 9-8 record away from Citi Field, and a somewhat head-scratching 6-9 record at home. Their offensive road splits are much better too, and that showed in a doubleheader sweep of the Yankees on Friday.
Speaking of the Yankees, who came back and won a close 2-1 decision on Saturday, the key is weathering the injury bug. DJ LeMahieu is finally off the injured list, but Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge remain inactive. Losing three offensive stars is difficult even for a team with the organizational depth the Yankees have. The result has been a slow descent to second place, where they are four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, and a half-game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Mets find themselves in third place, just three games back of the Braves and one game behind the Marlins coming into Saturday. But the Mets are also in a tough stretch of makeup games and regularly scheduled dates and will end up playing nine games in six days, straining a bullpen and rotation. If the Mets can survive this stretch, look for them to battle all the way to the end for a postseason berth. Part of this stretch is a unique doubleheader on Sunday, in which the Yankees will be the home team in game one, and the road team in game two.
No Place Like Road for the Mets
The New York Mets have posted some of the best offensive numbers in baseball this season. Their .800 OPS is third in the major leagues, and they slash .269/.355/.444 as a team. Away from Citi Field, they are even better. The Mets slash .280/.366/.471 on the road and have hit 24 of their 40 season home runs away from home. Robinson Cano has been especially good, hitting .400/.446/.720 with four homers in his road split. Dominic Smith slashes .372/.472/.814 with four homers and 16 RBI on the road.
The Mets will have to generate some offense as they send Rick Porcello to the mound in this one. Porcello’s 3.05 FIP does not reflect his 6.43 ERA or his 1.643 WHIP, indicating a shaky defense behind him. Still, Porcello’s 12.9 H/9 is the highest of his career, and he has only struck out 25 batters in 28 innings while surrendering 20 runs. In his last two starts (both losses), Porcello has allowed eight runs in nine innings, while striking out a combined 10 batters. Now he gets a Yankees team who hits very well at home.
Slumping Yankees Starting to Get Healthy
Injuries have sucked away any early momentum the Yankees had. Before he went to the IL, DJ LeMahieu was leading the majors in hitting, slashing .411/.456/.534. LeMahieu’s 15 runs led the team at the time he was injured, and he combined with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton to make a fierce trio of stars for pitchers to face. While LeMahieu made his return this weekend, Judge, Stanton, and Gleyber Torres remain on the IL, and the Yankees are just 3-7 in their last 10 without their stars.
The Yankees will send Michael King to the bump to start the first game of the twin bill. King’s first career start came against the Tampa Bay Rays in a doubleheader on August 15. King took the loss, giving up three runs on one hit in 3.2 innings. King was erratic that day, walking five Rays hitters. King rebounded with an extended relief appearance against Boston, limiting the Red Sox to one run on three hits in three innings of work. Look for King to act as an opener in a bullpen game.
Notable Trends
- NYY: 1-7 in last eight games
- NYY: 1-4 in last five games
- NYM: 6-3 in last nine games
- NYM: 4-2 in last six against Yankees
