The Yankees and Mets renew their annual Subway Series tonight, the 16th regular-season series between the two teams. Here’s a look back at some of the series standouts and which players to keep an eye on this weekend in The Bronx.
THE TWO MOST SURPRISING PLAYERS THE YANKEES WILL MISS
Eduardo Nunez and A.J. Burnett. Yes, it’s true. Last year Nunez destroyed the Mets, going 7-for-11 with a homer and three doubles in three games. Burnett faced the Mets three times in his three seasons with the Yankees, going 3-0 with a superb 1.33 ERA.
THE BIGGEST SUBWAY SERIES TREND THE METS NEED TO REVERSE
That would be David Wright’s 51 straight at-bats without a homer against the Yankees, dating to 2008 (he missed last year’s Subway Series with a back injury). Since Wright is not guaranteed to be a Met next season, this year could also be his last Subway Series experience.
THE MOST INTRIGUING PART OF THE WEEKEND
When Johan Santana takes the hill tonight. The Mets ace is coming off the franchise’s first no-hitter, and he will be starting on six days of rest after his 134-pitch outing. How will his surgically repaired shoulder respond?
THE BIGGEST THING THAT WILL BE GONE FROM THIS WEEKEND
Speed. Jose Reyes is in Miami, Brett Gardner is on the disabled list, Nunez is in the minors and Angel Pagan is in San Francisco. No current Mets or Yankees player is on pace to steal even 20 bases this season.
THE STRANGEST SUBWAY SERIES PRODUCTION
Mark Teixeira has hit .203 (14-for-69) with the Yankees against the Mets, but has five homers and 17 RBIs in 18 games. Projected over 162 games, that would be a .203 average with 45 homers and 153 RBIs. Uh, what?
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ABSENCES
A slew of major Subway Series staples from the past will not be there this weekend. No Mariano Rivera or Jorge Posada. No more Reyes or Carlos Beltran. Even younger perennials like Mike Pelfrey, David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain are out.
THE MOST DOMINANT AND CONSISTENT SUBWAY SERIES PLAYER
Derek Jeter’s production against the Mets has been a lock each season. Not only has Jeter hit a lifetime .381 versus the Mets — not including his World Series MVP performance in 2000 — but in each of the last six years, he’s never hit lower than .304 against them in a season. Since 2006, Jeter has gone 52-for-127 in Subway Series action. That’s a .409 clip.
THE ONE SPOT WHERE BOTH TEAMS ARE DIFFERENT
Neither squad’s closer has experienced the Subway Series. Last year, his first in pinstripes, Rafael Soriano missed the series while on the DL. Frank Francisco is in his first Mets season, and his last save chance in Yankee Stadium was with the Blue Jays on May 24 last season. Francisco blew it, losing the game on a Teixeira walk-off RBI single.
THE BIGGEST PERSONNEL ADDITIONS
In addition to Francisco and the returns of Santana and Andy Pettitte, there will be some other new riders on the Subway train. Raul Ibanez, Hiroki Kuroda, David Phelps and Clay Rapada are some of the first-time Yankees, while Jon Rauch, Andres Torres, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Omar Quintanilla are among the Mets’ new additions.
THE MOST WORRISOME YANKEE
Kuroda will be making his first Subway Series start tonight. But he’s been horrible in his career against the Mets. As a Dodger, Kuroda started against the Mets seven times. He went 1-5 with a 5.75 ERA and allowed 48 hits and 15 walks in just 36 innings.
THE MOST SURPRISING THORN IN THE YANKEES’ SIDE
Jason Bay has suffered through a dismal two-plus seasons in New York, but in his 12 Subway Series games, Bay has thrived, hitting .359 (14-for-39) with two homers. Bay’s lifetime splits against the Yankees are an impressive .333/.409/.560 in 40 games.
mark.hale@nypost.com