New York @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2009 ) NY Yankees 4, NY Mets 2

The latest edition of baseball’s Subway Series features two teams trying to get back on track.

The New York Yankees battle the cross-town Mets in the opener of a three-game series tonight at Citi Field. It’s one of the marquee matchups on the opening weekend of interleague play.

The series brings together a pair of teams with big payrolls who are going through their share of struggles.

The Yankees (25-16) have dropped eight of their past 12 games and are coming off two straight losses to streaking Tampa Bay. The mini-sweep dropped New York a full five games back of the Rays for first place in the American League East.

Things are much worse for the Mets (20-22), who have just one win in their last nine games. The recent cold spell has dropped them into last place in the ultra-competitive National League East, six games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies.

The Yankees have shoddy pitching to blame for their recent problems. After riding one of the most dependable pitching staffs over the first 35 games of the season, New York has surrendered six or more runs in five straight games, including 18 in consecutive losses to the Rays.

Conversely, batting has been the bane for the Mets. Despite a star-studded lineup that includes one-time All-Stars David Wright, Jason Bay and Jose Reyes, the Mets rank near the bottom of the majors in batting average (25th), doubles (26th) and slugging percentage (25th).

For Yankees starter Javier Vazquez (2-4), an encounter with New York’s other major league team could be just what he needs. A season after winning 15 games for the Atlanta Braves, Vazquez is struggling mightily in his return to the AL – his 8.01 ERA is the highest among starting pitchers in the Junior Circuit and he has surrendered eight home runs in just 30 1/3 innings this season.

Vazquez has fared well against the Mets in his career, boasting a 9-8 record with a 3.37 ERA in 23 starts.

The Mets counter with Japanese left-hander Hisanori Takahashi (3-1), making his first career start in the majors. The 35-year-old has been one of the team’s most dependable relievers, with a 3.12 ERA and 33 strikeouts in just 26 innings.

The Yankees pummeled the Mets in their first visit to Citi Field, sweeping all three games last season while outscoring their Big Apple rivals 18-3. They also won two of three against the Mets at Yankee Stadium, a series that included a 15-0 victory.