Maybe it was the jet lag. Maybe the New York Yankees just didn’t get fired up for a game with the struggling New York Mets. Whatever the reason, the American League East leaders will go into their Interleague game with their inter-city rivals Wednesday looking for a win just to split this quick two-game series after falling 4-2 on Tuesday.
It was the Yankees’ first game since traveling to London for a two-game series with Boston last weekend, so they were likely still a little tired from the whirlwind trip. New York is still on top of the AL East by 5.5 games over Tampa Bay, while the Mets are 11 games out in the National League East despite a modest two-game winning streak after Tuesday’s win.
The moneyline for this contest has the New York Yankees -145 and the New York Mets +135. The over/under for the game has been set at 9.5.
Ready For Break
After all the travel of the last week, the Yankees are probably very ready for the upcoming All-Star break. They had their Major League-record streak of 31 straight games with at least one home run snapped in Tuesday’s loss. This after an amazing 51 runs over a five-game span, including 29 runs in the two games in London. There’s plenty of firepower in the Yankees’ lineup, with All-Star starters DJ LeMahieu (.341, 12 home runs, 61 RBI) and Gary Sanchez (.256, 23 home runs, 54 RBI) leading the way.
The Yankees are expected to activate Domingo German off the injured list to make the start in this one. The 26-year-old right-hander hasn’t pitched since June 7 because of a left hip flexor strain, though he does have a 9-2 record with a 3.86 ERA. In his last three starts before going on the injured list, though, his ERA jumped from 2.60, as he took two no-decisions and a loss, giving up 14 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings.
Finally Some Wins
The Mets are hoping to keep their current winning streak going, especially after losing seven in a row before their last two games. Left-hander Jason Vargas will take the mound for the series finale, looking to improve on a 3-3 record and 3.66 ERA. Vargas has had three straight no-decisions, though he had a solid outing against Philadelphia in his last start, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits while striking out 10.
The Mets have been able to hit this season, ranking sixth in the National League in batting average at .255. But it’s been the timely hits that they’ve often lacked. Rookie Pete Alonso has provided many of the big hits for the Mets this season, leading the team with 28 home runs and 64 RBI, though he’s managed just three hits over his last five games, with one of those being a home run.
Yankees Earn Split
The New York Yankees are just too good of a team to get into a slump. Assuming German is fully healthy, they’ll get one of their top pitchers back on the mound for this one. The Yankees bats come alive to earn them a split of this series — and the season series — against their rivals. Take the Yankees -145 in this one.
