Mets attempt to offer Yankees unwelcome homecoming

The New York Mets traveled fewer than 1,000 miles last week in search of a much-needed win that they finally enjoyed Sunday night. The New York Yankees have traveled almost 7,000 round-trip miles between one ocean and two continents since their most recent loss.

The host Mets will attempt to offer an unwelcome homecoming to the Yankees on Tuesday night when the two teams square off in the opener of a two-game Subway Series.

Right-hander Zack Wheeler (6-5, 4.51 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Mets against Yankees left-hander James Paxton (5-3, 4.34 ERA).

Both teams were off Monday after earning notable wins Sunday. The Mets snapped their seven-game losing streak by scoring five runs in the eighth inning to beat the visiting Atlanta Braves, 8-5. The Yankees ran their winning streak to five games as they capped an eventful two-game series in London by scoring nine times in the seventh to come back and beat the Boston Red Sox, 12-8.

The late comeback by the Mets -- which was capped by back-to-back, two-RBI hits by All-Stars Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso -- served as an ironic end to a losing streak in which they blew leads in the sixth inning or later five times.

The Mets' bullpen posted a 10.03 (26 earned runs in 23 1/3 innings) during the skid, which began June 23 against the Cubs in Chicago and continued through a four-game series in Philadelphia as well as the first two games of the homestand against the Braves.

"We talk about it all the time: These guys don't give up," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said Sunday night. "You lose a bunch in a row and you're down late, you've got to keep on fighting. And that's what these guys did."

Unfortunately for the Mets, the Yankees have proven pretty adept at taking advantage of suspect bullpens.

During their five-game winning streak, the Yankees tattooed the bullpens of Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays for 26 runs (25 earned) in 22 innings. That total was inflated by the video-game dimensions of London Stadium, where the left and right field fences were just 330 feet from home plate and center field was just 385 feet. The Yankees racked up 19 runs in 12 1/3 innings against Boston relievers.

"If we played 81 games here, it'd be a lot of fun," Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge said following the first Major League Baseball games ever played in London. "We enjoyed it out here. We came in and did what we wanted to do -- get a couple of wins and put on a show for the fans."

Wheeler didn't factor into the decision in his most recent start last Thursday, when he gave up one run over six innings as the Mets fell to the Phillies, 6-3. Paxton also didn't receive a decision last Wednesday, when he allowed six runs over 4 1/3 innings in the Yankees' 8-7 win over the Blue Jays.

Wheeler is 0-1 with a 10.00 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees. Paxton is 1-1 with a 6.23 ERA in two starts against the Mets.

--Field Level Media