Mets at Yankees
The New York Yankees emerge from the All-Star break with the second-best record in the majors, but they still have plenty of work to do. That work begins at home Friday night with the first of three against the New York Mets in the latest installment of the Subway Series.
At 62-33, the Yankees are on pace for their best season since the historic 1998 team won 114 contests, but they fell 4 1/2 games behind the scorching Boston Red Sox in the American League East after dropping the "first half" finale Sunday in Cleveland, and could see a remarkable regular season reduced to the sudden-death Wild Card Game in October. "I thought the first half went pretty well," outfielder Brett Gardner told reporters. "Ultimately, our goal is to win the division at the end of the year. Right now, we're not in the lead in the division, so we've got to play better baseball. I think there's definitely room for improvement across the board." The Mets are on the verge of a potential fire sale as they exit the break tied for last in the National League East, and Noah Syndergaard is one of a handful of names already being thrown around in trade rumors. He gets the start in the series opener in his second game since returning from a finger injury that cost the flamethrower more than a month of action.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SNY (Mets), WPIX (Yankees)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (5-1, 2.97 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Domingo German (2-5, 5.49)
Syndergaard allowed a run in five innings while being limited to 75 pitches in his return to the mound last Friday against Washington. It marked the 11th consecutive start in which he let up three runs or fewer. The 25-year-old was tagged for five runs in six frames in his one prior matchup with the Yankees.
German's days in the rotation are numbered as the Yankees seek upgrades on the mound, and he's coming off a rocky showing at Cleveland last Friday. The Dominican Republic native was reached for six runs on five hits and four walks over four innings as his ERA as a starter soared to 5.97. German struck out nine batters while posting a quality start at the Mets on June 9 and he has 16 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings during interleague play this year.
WALK-OFFS
1. Gardner has four homers, one triple and three doubles over his last 13 games.
2. Mets INF Wilmer Flores is batting .314 in July.
3. The Yankees have won 14 of the last 19 matchups.