New York @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 14, 2014 ) NY Yankees 4, NY Mets 0

Derek Jeter has feasted on the New York Mets during his illustrious career, but he will be playing in his final Subway Series matchup when he leads the New York Yankees into Citi Field on Thursday. Jeter, the retiring Yankees captain, will be honored in a pregame ceremony by the Mets. Jeter has tormented the cross-city rivals on a regular basis since the inception of the Subway Series in 1997, batting .368 (131-for-356) in 87 contests.

The Yankees ended a six-game losing streak to the Mets with a 4-0 victory on Wednesday and look to salvage a split of the four-game, home-and-home series. The Mets piled up 21 runs in winning the first two games at Yankee Stadium, but the Bronx Bombers received a four-hit shutout from Japanese sensation Masahiro Tanaka to halt a four-game overall skid. A pair of pitchers with make their major-league debuts, with Chase Whitley of the Yankees opposing the Mets' Jacob deGrom.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, YES (Yankees), SNY (Mets)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Chase Whitley (NR) vs. Mets RH Jacob deGrom (NR)

Alfredo Aceves was scheduled to make Thursday's start, but he was needed in relief on Monday and Tuesday, opening the door for Whitley to get the call. A reliever for most of his career, Whitley went 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Whitley's best outing came on May 6, when he struck out 11 in a season-high 6 2/3 innings.

DeGrom was expected to fill a role in the bullpen but got the start when Dillon Gee went on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a strained right lat muscle. DeGrom posted a 4-0 record with a 2.58 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A Las Vegas, but he has failed to go past 5 1/3 innings in his last four outings. His start comes on the heels of Rafael Montero making his major-league debut Wednesday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Starting pitchers have not made their major-league debut in the same game since the Mets' Gee faced Washington's Yunesky Maya on Sept. 7, 2010.

2. Yankees 3B Yangervis Solarte has hit in nine straight games and is tied with Detroit's Victor Martinez for the American League lead with a .336 batting average.

3. The Mets announced the release of RHP Kyle Farnsworth following Wednesday's game.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Mets 4