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Yankees, Mets with big weekends on tap ahead of All-Star break – Metro US
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Yankees, Mets with big weekends on tap ahead of All-Star break

Yankees, Mets with big weekends on tap ahead of All-Star break
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This weekend the Mets host the Arizona Diamondbacks while the Yankees ship out to Boston to play the Red Sox. Let’s take a look at the probable starting pitching matchups.

On Friday the Mets send Noah Syndergaard (3-4, 3.38) to the mound to square off with Chase Anderson (4-2, 3.71). When the Mets faced Anderson on June 6 of this year they managed just one run, a solo shot off the bat of Juan Lagares. The Mets would collect 8 hits against Anderson though. Meanwhile Syndergaard has lived up to the hype (at least at home), going 3-1 with a 1.89 ERA at Citifield.

Friday night’s Yankees/Red Sox matchup is Michael Pineda (8-5, 3.79) versus Justin Masterson (3-2, 6.14). Pineda is among the league leaders in SO/BB ratio (8.08) but the Red Sox are one of the most patient teams in baseball, striking out just 552 times and walking 271 times (2ndand 6thin baseball, respectively). Masterson looks hopelessly overmatched against Pineda; his BB/9inn ratio is 4.3 so far this season, and the Yankees should benefit as they are the 5thbest team at taking the free pass this year.

On Saturday the Mets turn to Matt Harvey (7-6, 3.11) while the Diamondbacks answer with Josh Collmenter (3-6, 4.89). The Mets crushed Collmenter in Arizona on June 7, amassing five runs off nine hits (four home runs) in six innings. Collmenter has been coming out of the bullpen in his last few appearances for Arizona. Harvey was sharp against the D-backs on June 4, allowing just two runs (both homers) and striking out nine in six innings of work.

Runs will be easy to come by in the Yankees/Red Sox game on Saturday as Ivan Nova (1-2, 2.65) squares off against Clay Buchholz (7-6, 3.27). The Red Sox have crushed Nova in the past; in 79 total ABs the Red Sox roster is hitting a collective .342 with six home runs. Buchholz has also struggled mightily against the Bombers in his career, allowing a .307 batting average with six homers in 137 total ABs.

On Sunday, phenom Steven Matz (2-0, 1.32) will get the ball at Citifield while the D-backs send out Rubby De La Rosa (6-4, 4.89). Matz needs no introduction at this point; he was brilliant against the Reds in his debut and even knocked in four RBIs. Then he silenced the Dodgers in LA, giving up just two hits in six innings. De La Rosa will be looking to rebound off a tough outing July 5 against the Rockies in which he was tagged for eight hits and six earned runs in five innings of work. To that point De La Rosa had only allowed two earned runs or fewer in four straight starts.

Meanwhile Nathan Eovaldi (8-2, 4.45) takes the hill for the Yankees in Boston against sensational prospect Eduardo Rodriguez (4-2, 3.69) on Sunday. Eovaldi has been getting a ton of run support in his starts (7.11 runs to be exact, the third best mark in the majors) but the Yankees have never faced Rodriguez, who makes just his ninth career start. The Red Sox have been successful against Eovaldi, as Boston has hit a collective .370 in 73 ABs against the former Marlin. Pablo Sandoval in particularhas crushed Eovaldi, slapping 12 hits in 17 tries.