Friday night at Citi Field, and the Subway Series gets the matchup it deserves: Cam Schlittler vs. Clay Holmes, two of the stingiest starters in the sport. Schlittler is 5-1 with a 1.35 ERA through 9 starts — the kind of run that has people pulling up Walter Johnson's 1913 page. Holmes, the ex-Yankee closer now masquerading as a frontline starter, is 4-3 with a 1.86 ERA and has yet to give up more than 2 runs in a single outing this year.
The records tell you everything about how these teams are getting here. The Yanks are 27-17 but have lost 4 of 5 and just gave up 5 runs to Milwaukee in a Max Fried loss. The Mets are 18-25 — yes, still under .500 — but they just took 3 in a row and the vibe in Queens is finally not radioactive. Two trains heading opposite directions for one weekend.
There's also a small Schlittler wrinkle worth flagging: Aaron Boone admitted after the righty's last start that he was still sore and could miss his next turn. He's on the card here for now, but if you wake up Friday and see a bullpen game, don't be shocked. Either way, the Yankees' rotation is held together with rehab updates — Gerrit Cole's still in Somerset, Clarke Schmidt's throwing bullpens, and Fried just got tagged.
- Day-To-DayBen Hess SP — Hess (undisclosed) pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out one batter with Double-A Somerset on Thursday, Matt Kardos of Double-A Somerset's official site reports.
- Day-To-DayMax Fried SP — Fried (4-2) took the loss Friday against the Brewers, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts across six innings.
- Day-To-DayTravis MacGregor SP — MacGregor underwent Tommy John surgery last September and will miss the entire 2019 season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILGiancarlo Stanton DH — Stanton has not yet been cleared to ramp up his running after an MRI on his injured right calf did not show enough healing, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILJasson Dominguez LF — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Dominguez recently received a PRP injection in his injured left shoulder and is likely a few weeks away from returning, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJose Caballero SS — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that Caballero (finger) is expected to reclaim the team's starting shortstop job when he returns from the injured list, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILGerrit Cole SP — Cole (elbow) completed five innings in his rehab start with Double-A Somerset on Sunday, allowing two earned runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight batters.
- 15-Day-ILAngel Chivilli RP — Manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that Chivilli (shoulder) will be shut down from throwing for roughly three weeks, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayGrae Kessinger 3B — no
- Day-To-DayJoe Jacques RP — The Mets signed Jacques to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayKevin Herget RP — Herget signed a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training with the Mets on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayNick Burdi RP — The Red Sox reinstated Burdi (hip) from the injured list Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester.
- Day-To-DayJose Rojas 3B — Triple-A Salt Lake placed Rojas on its COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
- 10-Day-ILFrancisco Alvarez C — Alvarez is expected to be sidelined eight weeks after undergoing right meniscus surgery Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILFrancisco Lindor SS — Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday that an MRI on Lindor's left calf showed healing, but there remains no timetable for the shortstop's return, Steve Gelbs of SNY reports.
- 10-Day-ILJared Young 1B — Young (knee) will begin a rehab assignment by the end of this week, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
And the lineups are no prettier. The Mets are playing without Francisco Lindor (calf), Francisco Alvarez (just had meniscus surgery, 8 weeks out), Luis Robert Jr., Jorge Polanco, and basically half the bullpen. The Yankees are missing Giancarlo Stanton, Jasson Dominguez, and Jose Caballero. Both managers are filling out cards with duct tape. Juan Soto, of course, is not on either of those lists — he's just here, in orange and blue, with a $765 million deal and an old rivalry to renew.
The market reflects how loud Schlittler's ERA has been. Yankees are -148 on the moneyline, Mets +136, with a total of 7 — which feels generous if both starters do anything close to what they've done all year. Two top-3 ERAs in the same game usually points one direction.
Pick your storyline: Soto's return to the rivalry, Schlittler's coronation, Holmes outpitching his old club, or the Mets finally landing a punch on someone wearing pinstripes. First pitch is 6:15 PM. The trains run both ways.