There’s nothing like New York when both the Mets and the Yankees are playing well.
Tonight the first play New York Mets will travel to the Bronx to take on the first place New York Yankees. The city has been blessed with successful seasons from both clubs over the last few seasons. Several prominent Yankees came over to the Mets before the 2024 season (Carlos Mendoza, Luis Severino, Harrison Bader) adding to the the rivalry between the two teams.
Then Juan Soto, a key piece of the 2024 Yankees, signed a 15-year contract with the Mets. Tonight the Mets and Yankees will start a new chapter in their storied rivalry, fueled by a superstar who chose to play in Queens.
Tylor Megill has pitched 40 2/3 innings over eight starts with a 3.10 ERA, 2.97 FIP, 1.254 WHIP and a 126 ERA+. Megill has hit a rough patch, allowing 11 runs over his last three starts (6.19 ERA, 4.09 FIP). He’s still striking out players at a high rate, 22 batters over 16 innings, but he’s allowed three home runs. The spike in his home run rate is coming at a bad time for a start in Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have the following career numbers against Megill:
- Cody Bellinger 1-2, 2 BB, K
- Paul Goldschmidt 1-5, 2B
- Trent Grisham 0-2, BB
- Aaron Judge 0-3, K
- DJ LeMahieu 0-2, BB, K
Carlos Rodón is making his major league leading 10th start tonight. Over 54 2/3 innings he has a 3.29 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 0.970 WHIP and a 122 ERA+. Rodón is having a very Rodón season – he’s either brilliant or he’s not, with very few starts that are just average. He’s allowed four runs or more in four of ten starts this season, including his last one. He’s also allowed eight home runs so far this season, good for a 1.3 HR/9 rate which is actually his best HR/9 as a member of the Yankees. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Pete Alonso 1-5, 2 K
- Francisco Alvarez 1-2
- José Azócar 1-6
- Francisco Lindor 10-35, 3 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 4 K
- Starling Marte 1-5, K
- Jeff McNeil 0-2
- Brandon Nimmo 1-4, BB, 2 K
- Juan Soto 0-2, BB
- Tyrone Taylor 2-2, HR
- Luis Torrens 1-3, HR, 2 K
- Mark Vientos 1-3, K
Three Things To Watch For:
- Juan Soto. This is the Juan Soto series. How do Yankee fans react when Soto comes up in the top of the first? How does Soto react? Players often come in amped when facing their old squad. Soto is such a big star though that he will bring out that behavior in the Yankee players too.
- Do the Mets take advantage of Yankee Stadium? The Mets are coming off of a 4-2 homestand where they didn’t have too much offense the last three days against the Pirates. A short Yankee Stadium porch can fix all power woes – will the Mets big sluggers tee off tonight against Rodón and crew?
- Containing Trent Grisham. Grisham is having a breakout year in his seventh major league season. He is slashing .283/.367/.628 with a 177 OPS+, his first OPS+ above 100 since 2021. The big difference this season for Grisham is the power, he’s hit 12 home runs this season including four home runs over his last eight games.
Let’s Go Mets!
