Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton Tabbed For Doubleheader As The Yankees Take On The Mets In The Bronx

Because of mother nature taking over on Monday the Yankees and the Mets will play a split doubleheader on Tuesday with Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton starting the games for the Yankees.

The Yankees who are a member of the American League East come into the game with a record of 40-24 while the Mets who are a member of the National League East come into the game with a record of 32-33. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings

Masahiro Tanaka who comes into the game with a record of 3-5 to go along with a 3.42 earn run average will start the first game of the doubleheader after missing his start in Cleveland on Sunday but he had a great reason as to why he missed his start in Cleveland. The 30-year-old right-hander returned to New York on Thursday to be with his wife for the birth of their second child, a girl. “according to https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/mlb/news/yankees-place-masahiro-tanaka-paternity-list-will-miss-sunday-start/177e3jttjdj5x16d65paapwbbp He will oppose Mets right -hander Zack Wheeler who comes into the opening game of the doubleheader with a record of 5-3 with a 4.61 earn run average. While Wheeler has yet to rediscover his second-half form from 2018, he’s been as steady as they come in the Mets' rotation. He’s gone at least seven innings with three or four runs allowed in each of his last four starts, good for a 4.13 ERA over that stretch.

MLB adopted the paternity list in 2011. A player may choose to leave his team to attend the birth of his child. Once placed on the list the player must miss the team's next game, but no more than three games. “according to https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/mlb/news/yankees-place-masahiro-tanaka-paternity-list-will-miss-sunday-start/177e3jttjdj5x16d65paapwbbp

James Paxton will then start game two for the Yankees. The left-hander comes into the game with a record of 3-2 with a 3.11 earn run average. This will be Paxton's third start since returning from a left knee issue. In his first two, he allowed three earned runs over 8 2/3 innings. He's still not 100 percent back up to speed but is progressing in terms of the length he can deliver. He will oppose Mets left-hander Jason Vargas who comes into the game with a record of 2-3 with a 3.57 earn run average. On April 13, Vargas owned a 14.21 ERA, needing a vote of confidence from Mets officials to stay in the rotation. Since that time, he’s posted a 1.85 ERA in seven starts, including his eighth career shutout last time out against the Giants. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

As for the Yankees previous game,

After losing the first two games of the series New York who is a member of the American League East was able to salvage the finale against Cleveland who is a member of the American League Central at Progressive Field.

After the large early lead had been erased, after the sure-handed shortstop had surprisingly booted a ball, after the kid who had been driven in overnight from Scranton was thrust into a save situation, the Yankees could finally celebrate Sunday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

Thanks to Aaron Hicks’ go-ahead RBI double, the Yanks won, 7-6, in 10 innings at Progressive Field, avoiding a sweep at the hands of the Indians and sending them home happy for the Subway Series that begins Monday night. The Yankees blew a 5-0 advantage, as well as a ninth-inning advantage, and probably created more questions than they answered. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

But a win is a win. And oh, how the Yankees needed this win. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

“It was,” said manager Aaron Boone, “a different sort of game.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

This victory wasn’t easy, but, then again, what was easy for the Yankees in a week in which they routinely lost leads, had another important piece hit the shelf with Domingo Germán’s injured hip, saw their vaunted bullpen get battered and dropped five of seven? “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

Before this one went off the rails, the Yankees enjoyed a two-out eruption against Indians starter Shane Bieber in the second. A two-run, slump-breaking homer from Brett Gardner, who had been 0-for-22 and had gone viral on Saturday when his heaved helmet had bounced back to smack him in the bottom lip, made it 2-0. Two more runners reached to set up a DJ LeMahieu RBI single, and the Yankees loaded the bases to set up a two-run double from Luke Voit. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

Just like that, it was 5-0, and the Yankees, who were going with a bullpen day with Masahiro Tanaka out on paternity leave, had chased Bieber to turn it into an unexpected ‘pen day for the Indians, too. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

“It looked like it was going to be an easy one,” reliever Adam Ottavino said. “That wasn’t the case.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

No, it wasn’t. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

In the sixth, Tommy Kahnle arrived for a rare rough outing in an otherwise splendid 2019. For the first time in his career, Kahnle yielded two homers in a game. He served them up to Leonys Martin (solo) and Mike Freeman (two-run shot), who had hit just one homer in his big league career and was only in the game because Jason Kipnis was yanked with an iffy hip. Suddenly, it was a 5-4 game. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

The Indians tied it in the seventh, when Ottavino fell behind 3-0 to Jake Bauers, who had the green light on the next pitch and smacked it 434 feet to dead center. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

That fit an unfortunate pattern for the ‘pen, which has now given up 21 earned runs in its past 23 1/3 innings. But while some might be quick to cite overwork as the culprit in that calamity, Ottavino aptly pointed out that both he and Kahnle entered this game having not worked in three days. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

“There’s nothing wrong with the bullpen,” Ottavino said. “That was probably Mike Freeman’s best swing of his career off Kahnle there for that oppo homer. I gave up a 3-0 homer. Home runs are how good pitchers give up runs. No walks in there, really. It was just a couple good swings by them.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

In the ninth, the Yankees loaded the bases off Adam Cimber with one out, and Clint Frazier delivered the sacrifice fly to center that allowed Voit to easily tag up to make it 6-5.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

Aroldis Chapman was one out away from the save with runners at first and second. He got what could have been the game-ending ground ball from Francisco Lindor, and it was headed for Didi Gregorius, who had entered for defensive purposes in just his third appearance since his return from Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

“If I had a nickel for every time we root for them to hit it to Didi,” said Boone, “I’d have a lot of nickels.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

But this grounder turned up like a bad penny, allowing Jose Ramirez to score from second on the play. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

“I tried to get an easy backhand setup, but it took a quick hop straight to my knee and then went to the outfield,” Gregorius said. “It was the worst feeling I could have.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

Because Chapman struck out Oscar Mercado for the last out of the ninth, the Yankees were in position to recover in the 10th. Cameron Maybin doubled off Oliver Pérez with one out, and Hicks brought him home with a sharp line drive to left-center with two outs. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

Left-hander Stephen Tarpley, who had arrived in Cleveland in the middle of the night after a car service transported him on the six-hour drive from Scranton, was able to close out an eventful and necessary victory for the Yanks. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

“We had to fight for this one,” Hicks said. “These are games you need throughout a season to show you have a fight.””according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-top-indians-in-extra-innings-after-wild-9th

Like the Yankees, The Mets also won their previous game as they beat Colorado.

When everything is working for Noah Syndergaard, his four-seam fastball is electric. That’s exactly what happened for him Sunday in the Mets’ 6-1 victory over the Rockies at Citi Field. After the game, he credited a mechanical change that helped him be more effective with the pitch. “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

“I trusted my four-seam fastball,” Syndergaard said. “[There was a] slight mechanical tweak that I feel like I just need to be more consistent on. And [I] had a little bit more deception … to my four-seam fastball, and the rest of my pitches were able to play off that.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

Syndergaard notched a career-high 11 swings and misses on his four-seamer, just the second time in his career he’s had a double-digit total with that pitch. He dazzled over seven innings, allowing just one hit -- a Nolan Arenado single to lead off the second inning -- and striking out seven batters. “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

“[He] just executed pitch after pitch. You know, the one hit they got, it could’ve gone either way. I think Hech [Adeiny Hechavarria] makes that play 75 percent of the time,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said after the game.”according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

The one hit Syndergaard allowed was hit to Hechavarria’s left and he didn’t quite get there in time. It had a .140 expected batting average, the fourth-lowest on any hit Syndergaard has allowed this season. But ultimately, whether it was a hit or not did not matter, given how Syndergaard performed. “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

The four-seamer stood out, but as Syndergaard noted, his other pitches were effective, too. “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

“Right now I’m still working on finding that slider, but it’s forcing me to continue to develop my other pitches,” he said.”according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

One of those pitches is his curveball, which he has been using more, throwing it three times to Trevor Story in a three-pitch plate appearance in the fourth inning. “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

Callaway noted that it was the first time he’d seen Syndergaard triple up on the curveball to a batter like that.

“He pitched well. He had his pitches working today,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of Syndergaard. “From the side, it looked like he was commanding his fastball pretty well -- top of the zone and down. He mixed in the breaking ball as the game went on. He really pitched.”

For Syndergaard, this outing was one to build on as he strives to replicate this success, something his manager is eager to see, too. “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

“I understand that consistency probably hasn’t been what he’s capable of this year, but I think in the past, when he’s been healthy and pitching, he’s a top-five pitcher in all of baseball,” Callaway said. “He’ll get it going. This guy has some time in the big leagues, but he’s still a young guy. He’s still learning his craft, still learning how to deal with certain situations. … He’s still developing. Picks guys off, he’s controlling the running game better, he’s a little quicker to home than he was in the past.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

Syndergaard, too, noted after the game that the run game has been controlled better -- he picked off Story in the first inning after a walk, with a little help from first baseman Pete Alonso, who gave Story’s hand a slight shove off the bag. “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

“This isn’t a finished product, at all,” Callaway said of the overall outing. “And I think at some point, you’re going to see Noah Syndergaard do this on a more consistent basis than otherwise.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

Other than the top of the first, Syndergaard was pitching with a lead the entire game, as Todd Frazier put the Mets up 3-0 early with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first. They tacked on three more runs, one in the fourth on a single from Carlos Gomez and two in the fifth on RBI hits by Frazier and J.D. Davis. “according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

“It was a great all-around game. We scored early, we tacked on runs like we need to, and kept the pressure off of us,” Callaway said.”according to https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/noah-syndergaard-allows-1-hit-mets-beat-rockies

As for the Yankees previous game, They last played on Sunday at Progressive Field where they salvaged a game out of the series against Cleveland.