The set up: The Yankees and Mets met for the 105th time in regular season on Monday but for the first time in the month of August. Also noteworthy was that each team made a key trade prior to the first pitch. The Yankees continued their "rebuilding theme" by trading Carlos Beltran to the Texas Rangers and Ivan Nova to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Meanwhile, the Mets look like a team that believes it's going to be in a playoff fight into late September. The Mets acquired Jay Bruce from the Cincinnati Reds and brought back Jonathon Niese from the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, the Mets then went out and coughed up a 5-3 eighth-inning lead in a 6-5 loss to the Yankees in 10 innings.

The pitching matchup: Masahiro Tanaka (7-3, 3.16 ERA) starts for the Yankees and Jacob deGrom (6-5, 2.56 ERA) for the Mets. Tanaka has just seven wins after 21 starts but more importantly, the Yankees are 15-6 in his starts, going plus-$884 vs. the moneyline (11th-best mark among starters). Tanaka will be making his third Subway Series start and has held the Mets to a total of two runs on nine hits in 15 innings in the first two while going 1-1. The Mets' deGrom owns an excellent ERA (2.56) but checks in at only 6-5 in 18 starts (Mets are 9-9 and minus-$366). In two previous starts vs. the Yankees he's winless, having giving up seven runs on 12 hits over 12 innings.

The pick: The recent fallout from the past week gives the Yankees one of MLB's top farm systems while the Mets' addition of Jay Bruce (25 HRs & 80 RBI) was one the bigger deals made in front of the trade deadline. The Mets' gave away last night's game but a Miami loss keeps them just 2 1/2 games out of the NL's final wild card spot. With this series moving to the Bronx Wednesday and Thursday, this is one the Mets need BADLY! 10* play on the NY Mets.