Kansas City @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 5, 2016 ) NY Mets 2, Kansas City 0

The Kansas City Royals were both drinking and wearing champagne during their last visit to Citi Field, having wrapped up the second World Series title in franchise history with a five-game dismissal of the New York Mets. The Royals have regained their swagger from last season as they've won eight of their last nine contests heading into Tuesday's opener of an abbreviated two-game interleague series against the Mets.

Salvador Perez has seen his batting average jump 40 points on the strength of an 11-game hitting streak, however the World Series MVP is just 2-for-13 in his regular-season career versus the Mets. While Kansas City erupted for 28 runs in winning the last three contests of its four-game series with Detroit, New York saw its offense go limp in a three-game sweep at the hands of cellar-dwelling Atlanta. The Mets, who have lost six of their last eight overall, mustered just four runs, batted .156 and struck out 21 times in the weekend series. Travis d'Arnaud (strained rotator cuff) will be looked upon to provide a jolt as the catcher is expected to be activated from the disabled list prior to the series.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Ian Kennedy (5-5, 4.17 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (7-2, 1.91)

Kennedy was fortunate to walk away with his first win since May 7 on Wednesday, although his performance left a bit to be desired. The 31-year-old allowed four runs on five hits - including two homers - in a 9-4 victory over Cleveland and has been taken deep eight times and yielded 16 runs in his last three outings. The road hasn't been kind for Kennedy, who is just 3-4 with a 5.44 ERA in eight starts this season.

Syndergaard exacted a small measure of revenge against Kansas City after recording nine strikeouts over six dominating innings during a 2-0 triumph in the second game of the season. The quality start is nothing new for the 23-year-old fireballer, who has posted seven in a row if one dismisses his early ejection versus the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 28. Syndergaard has 11 quality starts this season and permitted just 18 earned runs in 85 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York OF Michael Conforto collected his team's lone hit in a 6-0 setback on Sunday, but is mired in an 8-for-67 slump and reportedly is being considered for a demotion to Triple-A Las Vegas.

2. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer has hit safely in 11 of his last 14 games and recorded three hits in his team's 4-3 season-opening victory over the Mets on April 3.

3. Kansas City rookie 2B Whit Merrifield has two homers, eight RBIs and nine runs scored during his eight-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Mets 2, Royals 1