Mets-Yanks opener finds teams at a crossroads
The 2016 edition of the Subway Series promises to feature slightly less sizzle than previous installments in the rivalry. That’s primarily due to the fact that the Yankees played completely against type yesterday.
As the hours ticked down to the non-waiver trade deadline, New York shipped All-Star reliever Andrew Miller to the Indians in exchange for four prospects. Between that deal and the recent transaction involving lights-out closer Aroldis Chapman, general manager Brian Cashman basically revealed a new modus operandi for the notoriously freewheeling franchise.
Alas, acquiring chips for the future won’t help subdue the Mets, who host tonight’s opener at 7:10 p.m. ET. Rather surprisingly, online sports book BetDSI lists Terry Collins’ gang as a +108 underdog. The Yanks, on the other hand, enter Citi Field as 1.5-run favorites.
Joe Girardi’s club began to unload veteran assets after a post-Midsummer Classic surge failed to materialize into anything of real substance. Having dropped four in a row, the Bronx Bombers now sit seven games behind Baltimore in the American League East. A wild-card chase seems highly unlikely, as well.
The defending NL champions can’t be enamored with their current position, either. Woeful offensive numbers and assorted injuries are largely responsible for a 2-5 stretch. Perhaps a 6-4 weekend triumph over the Rockies, however, will bolster the squad’s confidence moving forward.
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This evening, Logan Verrett (3-6, 4.12 ERA) tries to capture his first victory of the summer. He’ll lock horns with the Yanks’ CC Sabathia (6-8, 3.95), whose hot start to the campaign means very little at the moment. The lefty went 1-3 with a 5.93 ERA in July, and the depleted resources around him suggest similar pains in a short while.
MONDAY MLB FREE PICK: METS +1.5