The Yankees are not playing their best baseball at the moment, winning just two of their last eight games to fall several games back of first. That three of those losses have come against a pair of struggling teams in the Orioles and Mets makes the Bombers’ deficiencies appear all the most glaring — and they’re at risk of their third consecutive series loss. All the same, they can get back in the series win column with a good performance in the rubber game against their crosstown rivals this afternoon.
Elmer Rodríguez got the call up after Max Fried was placd on the IL with a bone bruise in his pitching elbow. Lauded for his command in the high minors, the walks have been the biggest issue in his first two MLB starts, though it is worth commending him for settling down and tossing 3.2 scoreless after a three-run first threatened to derail his last start against the Rangers. In those two starts, both against Texas, Rodríguez has given up five runs on ten hits and eight walks across 8.2 innings.
Freddy Peralta has performed largely as advertised since the Mets acquired him from Brewers over the winter to be their long-sought-after ace of the rotation. The whiffs and strikeouts are down as he has lost about one mph off all of his pitches, but he is doing a much better job of keeping the ball off the barrel of the bat than in his previous three seasons. In nine starts, Peralta is 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA (128 ERA+), 3.66 FIP, and 50 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.
The Yankees lineup has been one of the principal culprits in the recent downturn in form, scoring three or fewer runs in six out of the last eight games. Austin Wells is probably their most struggling player and he gets the day off after the night game with J.C. Escarra taking his place behind the plate. It has been nice to see Jazz Chisholm Jr. get the bat going of late, while Anthony Volpe has been getting on base despite not registering a hit since making his season debut.
The Mets meanwhile field the worst offense in MLB, yet still managed to push six runs across last night. They make a pair of changes to their lineup, MJ Melendez coming in to play left, moving Juan Soto to DH and Austin Slater to the bench. Hayden Senger takes over catching duties from Luis Torrens.
How to watch
Location: Citi Field – Flushing, NY
First pitch: 1:40 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, SNY
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App 92.3 HD2 (NYM)
Streaming: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)
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