After yesterday’s rainout, the Mets and Yankees are set to play a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Regardless of the result of the first game, the Yankees are -186 favorites to win the nightcap.
The Mets will be desperate to avoid a sweep during the doubleheader. After a rough road trip, the Mets have won back-to-back series, taking four of their last six games to crawl back within a game of .500. They also have a brutal schedule during the rest of June, so they need to stay on track and avoid two losses in one day.
Meanwhile, the Yankees will be trying to get back into first place inside the AL East. After not playing on Monday, they fell half a game behind the Rays. However, a sweep of the doubleheader against their New York rivals will get them into at least a tie with Tampa Bay. The Yankees have also won just two of their last seven games, so they’d like to start stringing wins together.
Short and Sweet
James Paxton is set to start the second half of Tuesday’s doubleheader for the Yankees. The lefty has made two starts since returning from the IL with a knee injury. However, he’s thrown just 8 2/3 innings over those two starts, failing to complete five innings both times out. Obviously, the Yankees will have a fresh bullpen after Monday’s off day, but they’ll still be hoping to get more innings out of Paxton, especially since he owns a 3.11 ERA on the season.
With Robinson Cano and Brandon Nimmo still on the IL, the Mets are actually less reliant on left-handed hitters, which would help them against Paxton. The likes of Todd Frazier and Wilson Ramos have been red hot over the past week. Pete Alonso is also a constant home run threat, while J.D. Davis is another right-handed bat with power the Mets will likely throw at Paxton. With Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil, the Mets also have a couple of lefties to watch, especially after the Yankees go to their bullpen.
Vargy Party
Jason Vargas will get the ball for the Mets in the second game of the doubleheader. The early part of the season was a nightmare for Vargas, who fans wanted to be released at one point. However, he’s bounced back in a big way. The lefty has allowed one run or less in six of his last seven starts. He’s also allowed just two runs over his last three starts, covering 21 innings over that span, including a complete-game shutout of the Giants in his last start.
Of course, Vargas will be facing a Yankees lineup that’s slowly getting healthy. Didi Gregorius is off to a good start since his return from the IL last week. The likes of Clint Frazier, Aaron Hicks, and DJ LeMahieu are also mashing at the moment, so Vargas will have to remain sharp. Meanwhile, there are more than a few Yankees who have slumped over the past week, so Vargas may be able to keep it going.
Take a Chance
The Yankees are the better team, but they’ve struggled lately and are facing a hot starting pitcher. That’s enough to take a chance on an underdog that offers the possibility of a big payout. Take a chance by betting on the Mets to beat the Yankees in the nightcap of their doubleheader.
