New York @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 8, 2014 ) NY Yankees 9, Houston 6

Derek Jeter begins his final season when he and the revamped New York Yankees begin play at the Houston Astros on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series. The future Hall of Famer, who announced this spring that his franchise-record 20th season with the Yankees will also be his last, opens three hits shy of tying Paul Molitor for eighth on the all-time list. Jeter, who is coming off an injury-marred campaign that limited him to 17 games, rejoins a New York lineup that welcomes in several new additions, including outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran, and catcher Brian McCann.

Houston is coming off a difficult 51-111 season in its first campaign in the American League, but has hope that its quality farm system will begin to fuel a turnaround in the coming years. The Astros finished their spring training slate with six straight wins, including a pair against Texas in the Alamodome and two more against El Aguila de Veracruz from the Mexican League at Minute Maid Park over the weekend. The Yankees have won each of their six previous games at Houston - including a three-game sweep to end the 2013 season - and lead the all-time series 13-2.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), CSN Houston

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2013: 14-13, 4.78 ERA) vs. Astros RH Scott Feldman (12-12, 3.86)

Sabathia is coming off a tough campaign in which he posted the highest ERA and WHIP (1.37) of his 13-year career while finishing with fewer than 15 wins for the first time as a Yankee. He is one of several New York starters who had solid springs, going 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA in five starts during the Grapefruit League slate. The 33-year-old has never pitched in Houston and has faced the Astros just once in his career, tossing a complete game against them while with Milwaukee in 2008.

Feldman signed a three-year, $30 million deal with Houston in December after posting a 12-win season split between the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore, making 30 starts for the first time since his 17-8 effort with Texas in 2009. Feldman, who had a 5.40 ERA in four spring training starts, allowed four runs and nine hits in 14 2/3 innings over two outings versus the Yankees late last season. The 31-year-old is 2-0 with a 5.31 ERA in six career appearances - three starts - at Minute Maid Park.

WALK-OFFS

1. Jeter was 7-for-51 with just one extra-base hit in 51 Grapefruit League at-bats.

2. Astros LF Robbie Grossman hit .360 with four doubles, one triple and one home run in 50 spring at-bats.

3. Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira, who played just 15 games last year due to a wrist injury, is 6-for-18 with a home run and a double against Feldman.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Astros 3