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The Subway Series rolls into Citi Field on Saturday at 4:10 PM ET as the New York Yankees take on the New York Mets, broadcast nationally on FS1. With the season hitting the halfway mark, the stakes are rising, especially for two teams with playoff aspirations and something to prove. The Yankees are trying to regain control of a tightening AL East race, while the Mets look to snap out of a slump and reassert themselves in the NL Wild Card picture.
With both fan bases fired up and rosters full of stars, expect a high-energy battle in Queens.
As of July 3, the Yankees sit at 48-38, tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for the top spot in the AL East after suffering a three-game sweep in that exact series. They’re now just half a game ahead of the surging Tampa Bay Rays, making the division race one of the tightest in baseball. Aaron Judge remains at the heart of the Yankees offense, putting together another MVP-caliber season with a .363 average, 31 home runs, and 1.164 OPS.
But after a strong start, the Yankees have cooled off significantly, going 13-18 since late May. Injuries, especially to ace Gerrit Cole, have impacted the rotation, though Max Fried has stepped up admirably as a frontline starter. The bullpen has been inconsistent, with several blown leads late in games. Offensive production beyond Judge has come in flashes, but Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton have contributed timely power.
The Yankees remain one of the league’s most dangerous teams on paper, but they’ll need to rediscover their early-season rhythm to keep pace in the tightly packed AL East.
The Mets come into Saturday’s matchup with a 49-38 record, sitting just two games behind Philadelphia in the NL East. After starting the season strong, the Mets have been in a tailspin, dropping 13 of their last 16 games. The low point came in a brutal sweep by the Pittsburgh Pirates, in which they were outscored 30 to 4.
The rotation has been decimated by injuries, with Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, and Griffin Canning all sidelined. The bullpen has also struggled to hold leads, and the offense has been inconsistent in high-leverage situations. Still, there are signs of life. Francisco Lindor has caught fire at the plate and earned an All-Star nod after a two-homer game last week. Brandon Nimmo delivered a clutch grand slam recently, and Juan Soto has lived up to expectations in his first season in Queens, hitting .287 with 20 home runs and a .530 slugging percentage.
Edwin Díaz has been nearly untouchable in the ninth inning, converting 17 of 18 save opportunities and striking out 31 over his last 22 innings. Rookie right-hander Blade Tidwell has shown flashes of potential and could play a bigger role moving forward.
Saturday’s pitching matchup features Carlos Rodón for the Yankees and Frankie Montas for the Mets. Rodón has quietly delivered consistent starts, using his veteran experience and ability to generate swings and misses to give the Yankees a chance to win every time he’s on the mound.
On the other side, Montas has been inconsistent and is coming off a rough start where he allowed six earned runs in four innings against a Pirates team that isn’t known for its offensive firepower. That sets the stage for the Yankees’ bats to bounce back, especially Aaron Judge, who has torched National League pitching with a .283 average, five home runs, and 13 RBIs in his last eight interleague games. Even in the recent series loss to the Blue Jays, Judge went 5-for-8 with a home run and two doubles, underscoring just how locked in he is at the plate.
Given Montas’ recent struggles and the Mets’ shaky bullpen, Judge is an elite DFS play in what could be a momentum-shifting showdown in the Subway Series. Look for his bat to make a major impact in a rivalry game where every swing matters.
Ian is a lifelong sports fan and Temple University graduate who specializes in the NFL, NBA, MLB and European Soccer and is a diehard Philly sports fan.