The New York Mets and New York Yankees stumbled in the weeks leading up to the latest installment of the Subway Series, which starts Friday at Citi Field.
The Mets lost 14 of 17 games before winning each of their past two contests against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Yankees, meanwhile, dropped 14 of their past 20 games to fall out of first place in the American League East heading into their Friday afternoon game against the host Mets.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone kept a positive outlook despite seeing his beleaguered bunch get swept in a four-game series by the Toronto Blue Jays to start the week.
“It’s no fun going through it. It (stinks) when you get your (expletive) kicked in a division rival series on the road, but we’re ready-made for this. And we will get through this,” Boone said after his team stranded 12 runners on base in an 8-5 setback on Thursday.
“… Embrace the adversity of it. This will make us stronger as we navigate through the season. I know nobody likes hearing that, but that’s what this is. We know this week is coming for us. We know this time is coming for us.”
Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez collected four hits on Thursday. He is batting .419 (18-for-43) with four RBIs and seven runs in his past 12 games.
While Dominguez has been hot of late, Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo is on a two-game tear. Nimmo belted his third career grand slam in the Mets’ 7-3 victory over the Brewers on Wednesday, then added a solo shot in a 3-2 win on Thursday.
Juan Soto had the go-ahead RBI single among his two hits as the Mets improved to 16-12 in one-run games this season and a major-league-best 31-13 at home.
Signed to a 15-year, $765 million contract in the offseason, Soto went 1-for-10 against his former team as the Mets dropped two of three games against the Yankees from May 16-18.
“It doesn’t matter what’s in the past but what’s ahead of us,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “… Now we have to get ready for another good team coming to town. The Subway Series, obviously. It’s gonna be electric, and we’ll be ready to go.”
Mets right-hander Justin Hagenman (0-0, 1.50 ERA) is expected to make his third career appearance and first start on Friday. He will take on former Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman (1-1, 8.16).
Hagenman, 28, allowed two hits over 2 2/3 scoreless innings in a no-decision against the Atlanta Braves on June 19 before he was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse the next day. He has yet to face the Yankees in his brief career.
Stroman permitted one run on three hits in five innings to pick up the win on Sunday against the Athletics in his return after sitting out 2 1/2 months due to left knee inflammation.
“I tore my ACL and made it back in five months,” Stroman said. “I don’t do ‘doubt.’ I knew I’d be back at some point, it was just a matter of when.”
Stroman, 34, is 1-1 with a 4.76 ERA in three career starts vs. the Mets.
–Field Level Media
