After the cheers for Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman have finally died down after his game winning hit against the New York Mets on Thursday, it is time to turn the page. On that next page perhaps is the greatest enigma in baseball, the New York Yankees. More on that later, but first some fun facts about the Subway Series.

The two teams will begin their 35th series against one another on Friday having played against each other at least three times a year since their inaugural get together in 1997. The Yankees have a 74-54 all-time regular season mark against the Amazins’. Over the last three seasons and in five of the last seven, the teams split the season’s series and there hasn’t been an air of dominance from one team or the other as in recent years. This will, of course, be the first Subway Series since 2019 with fans and with no restrictions at Yankee Stadium so a full house is possible for all three games.

Part two of the 2021 Subway Series will be held at Citi Field from September 10-12, a three game set that will feature an emotional middle game on September 11. It will mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Washington D.C., Shanksville, Pa. and of course in New York City. Emotions will certainly be high and probably still a bit raw that late summer weekend, but considering what the Mets did for the city during the days just following the attacks to help get the city on its feet, it is little wonder Major League Baseball honored the Mets with home games during this remembrance.

The Mets are in the midst of a seven game road trip and things have started poorly for them, going just 1-3 after a series loss in Atlanta. They are now 42-37, and with Washington’s loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, still maintain a two game cushion in the NL East. They will not leave New York until mid-month as they play Milwaukee and Pittsburgh at Citi Field after the Yankees series leading up to the All-Star Break.

As for the fourth place, 41-39 New York Yankees, let’s allow allow their top officers to chime in. On June 29, GM Brian Cashman said, “We suck right now” and that his team is “as bad as you want to be”. Further Cashman stated, “Trying to knock ourselves out of that is obviously the effort. Until we get online and start flying high again, it’s going to look bad. It plays bad and it stinks to the high heavens.”

Not to be out done, Yankees’ chairman Hal Steinbrenner said in a wide ranging press conference, “We all can share the blame, but the majority of the blame lies with [the players].”

Both men have stated that Aaron Boone‘s job is safe, and that they will definitely not be sellers at the trade deadline in about a month. Still, words like these, especially those from Cashman, can hardly be settling to Yankee fans.

Beyond their AL ranks which will be mentioned shortly, I heard on ESPN three interesting stats to describe some of the problem. First, they are hitting .219 with RISP. Second, they have hit into 81 ground ball double plays, by fay the most in baseball. Third, they exhibit a lack of athleticism by being dead last in the majors in moving runner form first to third on a single and are also last in bringing runners from second to home on a hit. The make-up of this team has been questioned even by loyal soldier Michael Kay who broadcasts Yankee games but has ripped them on his radio show.

As for the more normal stats, the Yanks are 17th in the majors in team batting with a .236 collective BA. They rank 10th in baseball in team pitching with a respectable 3.77 ERA. Finally, they are in the middle-of-the-pack (16th) in team defense.

The Yankees have been the model of inconsistency throughout the first half of the season and 11 games with the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays just after the All-Star break will go a long way in determining the direction this franchise will take. And a poor performance in the Subway Series will certainly make a few seats hot.

Friday, July 2, 2021: RHP Taijuan Walker (6-3, 2.38 ERA) vs. LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-2, 4.06 ERA)

Taijuan Walker has probably been the Mets nicest surprise. He has become a fixture in the rotation and a dependable one at that. In June, he gave up only 11 earned runs in five starts. His 2.38 ERA is among the league’s best and should present a formidable challenge to the Yankees.

Jordan Montgomery was supposed to start Thursday’s game against the Angels, but the game was rained out. Boone decided to insert Montgomery here and move Gerrit Cole to Saturday. Montgomery earned two wins and three no-decisions in June. He tends to give up a lot of hits as he as allowed 76 in 82 innings pitched.

Saturday, July 3, 2021: RHP Marcus Stroman (6-6, 2.45 ERA) vs. Gerrit Cole (8-4, 2.66 ERA)

Marcus Stroman, despite having only a .500 win-loss record has an outstanding 2.45 ERA . He made six starts in June, going 2-2. In the losses, the Mets were shut-out both times, so Stroman has pitched in his fair share of bas luck. Hopefully, he can start July on a positive note against the Bombers.

Yankee ace Gerrit Cole is coming off a poor month (for him) pitching to a 4.65 ERA in five starts. He further lost to both the Red Sox and Rays in spots where a stopper would have helped. Cole is still a very good pitcher and will present a challenge to the Mets.

Sunday, July 4, 2021: RHP Tylor Megill (0-0, 4.82 ERA) vs. TBA

Tylor Megill has earned a third start for the Mets. His first two outings were both against the Braves and he acquitted himself quite nicely. He often had Braves hitters off-balance owing to his 12 strikeouts. Megill seemed to have command of the zone and his pitches. His first start at Yankee Stadium should be an interesting test.

The Yankees have not as of yet named a starter for Sunday’s tilt.

Prediction

Always best to stay away from a team that “sucks” so says their GM. The Yankees are an enigma and the Mets still can’t hit. Both teams are limping into this Subway Series off of recent poor play and it’s hard to imagine much will change here. The Mets get Cole, the Yanks miss deGrom, but that doesn’t make me lean anymore towards the Yanks. The Mets right now play better defense and pitch better than the Yankees. Chapman has been a recent disaster and even Cole’s results have been mixed lately. So it will probably come down to a one run game (as the Mets lead the league in one run games, 31) with the series tied at a game apiece. Let’s go with the Mets coming out on top in that close game and thus win a series they badly need.