MLB Betting Weekend Preview – Yankees, Mets Limp Into Subway Series

The New York Yankees have a laundry list of injuries while the New York Mets have problems of their own. Both head into the cross-town showdown on cool streaks but it will still be a fun weekend.

New York Yankees @ New York Mets
Friday, May 21st – 7:10 PM ET
Javier Vazquez vs Hisanori Takahashi
MLB Betting Odds: Yankees -160

Without a doubt the least sexy pitching matchup of the weekend. Javier Vazquez is literally pitching for his job with each start. Last season he was a Cy Young candidate. This year, his second stint in New York, it’s not going as well. Vazquez started the year 1-3 with a plus-9.00 ERA. Talks then were surfacing about his future, but he saved his career in pinstripes with a strong performance against Detroit last week. But the leash is short, and he’s facing a Mets team that has potential for power.

Hisanori Takahashi, after spending the first two months as a reliever, is making his first start of the season. As a bullpen arm, Takahashi has been effective, with a 3.12 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 26 innings so far. This is a hard game to predict for Takahashi. Not only is he making his first big-league start (he spent 9 years with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan), but he’s doing so against the Yankees, who field one of the best lineups in baseball.

New York Yankees @ New York Mets
Saturday, May 22nd – 7:10 PM ET
Phil Hughes vs. Mike Pelfrey

Stats wise, this is the best match-up of the weekend (best matchup name-wise comes Sunday). Phil Hughes is making an early case for AL Cy Young. The former first rounder has been fantastic all season, undefeated with a 5-0 record and a 2.25 ERA. His only bad start all season came in his last start, when he allowed five runs in five innings in an eventual Yankee win. Hughes has been oozing potential his entire career; now he’s finally reached it.

Mike Pelfrey has been the anchor of a Mets rotation currently in shambles. The five-year pro, like his counterpart Hughes, is finally reaching his first round potential; Pelfrey has a 5-1 record with a 3.02 ERA this year. Pelfrey’s issue this season has been that he gives up a fair amount of hits and walks. He’s been able to escape trouble all season, but the Yankees may not allow that to happen on Saturday night.

New York Yankees @ New York Mets
Sunday, May 23rd – 8:05 PM ET
CC Sabathia vs. Johan Santana

Here’s the sexy match-up of the weekend. A pair of former Cy Young’s, the ace of each team, both representing a New York team, on Sunday Night Baseball. Their numbers are very similar as well; Sabathia has a 4-2 record, with 3.43 ERA and 43 strikeouts, while Santana has a 3-2 record with a 3.72 ERA and 44 strikeouts. Sabathia has the better chance at victory because his team is much better; although that may make Santana’s numbers that much more impressive. This will surely be the best game of the weekend, and no doubt the most hyped.

MLB Betting Free Pick: With the exception of the opener, the Yankees have a slight edge in each pitching matchup. But because of the uncertainty surrounding the Mets first-time starter on game one of the series, I wouldn’t be shocked in the Yankees sweep the series.