Yankees at Mets
The streaking New York Yankees return from a wildly successful overseas trip to take on the stumbling New York Mets in the opener of the latest edition of the Subway Series, beginning Tuesday with the first of two at Citi Field. The Yankees scored 29 runs in a pair of wins over the Boston Red Sox in London and returned to the states with a seven-game lead in the American League East.
"The energy never let up," manager Aaron Boone told reporters after Sunday's 12-8 victory. "It felt like a huge event, these two games." The Mets are 5-13 since splitting a pair at Yankee Stadium in June but they enter with a tiny bit of momentum after winning the finale of a three-game series against Atlanta on Sunday. All-Stars Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso combined for four hits and four RBIs in the 8-5 win as the Mets snapped a seven-game slide. Yankees lefty James Paxton was rocked for six runs in 2 2/3 innings in a loss to the Mets on June 11 and will seek better results Tuesday opposite Zack Wheeler.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network; YES (Yankees), WPIX (Mets)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH James Paxton (5-3, 4.34 ERA) vs. Mets RH Zack Wheeler (6-5, 4.51)
Paxton bounced back from his rocky outing against the Mets to win two straight starts while allowing a total of three runs in 11 innings. He struggled again in a start against Toronto on Wednesday, giving up six runs and eight hits - including a season-high three home runs - in 4 1/3 frames. Alonso had a three-run homer and a walk in his only two plate appearances versus Paxton last month.
Wheeler has allowed one run in each of his last two outings, recording 12 strikeouts and allowing seven hits in 13 innings during that stretch. He was pounded for nine runs (five earned) in a loss at Yankee Stadium last month. The 29-year-old, who has four straight quality starts at home, has a 10.00 ERA in two career matchups with the Yankees.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Yankees have won nine of their last 12 road games in the series.
2. McNeil is 5-for-9 with two doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored over his last two games.
3. All-Star D.J. LeMahieu went 7-for-12 with seven RBIs in London.