Mets at Yankees (Game 2)
The latest edition of the Subway Series could not get off the ground Monday due to a rain-soaked New York City, but the rival Mets and Yankees will make up for it with a day-night doubleheader Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The Bronx Bombers entered Monday tied for first in the American League East after salvaging the finale of a 2-4 road trip at Cleveland on Sunday.
Prior to Monday's rainout, manager Aaron Boone announced that right fielder Aaron Judge (oblique) could appear in rehab games as soon as this weekend, and fellow slugger Giancarlo Stanton (biceps) is set to begin his rehab stint Tuesday. The Mets (32-33) have won four of their last five to get within a game of .500, scoring at least five runs in each of those four victories. A lineup that has produced 15 home runs in eight games this month will take aim at Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka in the matinee and lefty James Paxton at night. The Mets counter with Zack Wheeler in the opener and Jason Vargas in the evening.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, SNY (Mets), WPIX (Yankees)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Jason Vargas (2-3, 3.57 ERA) vs. Yankees LH James Paxton (3-2, 3.11)
Vargas was one of the worst pitchers in baseball over the first few weeks and was in danger of losing his spot in the rotation with an ERA that ballooned to 14.21 on April 13, but things have changed. The 36-year-old posted a 1.85 ERA over his last seven starts and is coming off a five-hit, eight-strikeout shutout of the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. Vargas is seeing the Yankees for the first time since 2017 when he lost a pair of starts while allowing a total of nine runs in 10 innings as a member of the Kansas City Royals.
Paxton tossed four scoreless innings in his return from the injured list May 29 against San Diego at home before lasting 4 2/3 frames and giving up four runs - three earned - in a loss at Toronto on Wednesday. The 30-year-old has yielded only one earned run in 26 2/3 frames at Yankee Stadium this year. He tossed six scoreless innings to defeat the Mets in their one and only meeting in 2017 as a member of the Seattle Mariners.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Mets on Monday sent 2B Robinson Cano (quad), OF Brandon Nimmo (neck) and LHP Justin Wilson (elbow) on rehab assignments.
2. Yankees 2B D.J. LeMahieu has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, batting .313 in that span.
3. The teams split six meetings last season.