The Yankees and Mets have a lot in common as they enter the seasons second Subway Series. Both teams are in wild-card position (although the Mets standing 1 / games ahead of the Padres and Pirates for the sixth playoff spot is obviously much more precarious). And both teams could use some help. The funny thing about it is that the Yankees, who are 7 / games to the better, are the ones who appear to need significantly more a sistance. Brian Cashman needs to pull off something bigger than his cro stown rivals at the trade deadline. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Over the last month, the Mets played like a fringe playoff team, which is a lot better than the Yankees, who have plain stunk. The Yankees are 10-20 since their slide started, which is better than only the White Sox, the punching bags of the South Side who are challenging the historic 1962 Mets. When the New York teams met late last month, our matchup man extraordinaire Dan Martin gave just about every edge to the Yankees, and no one complained (except me, a little). Now , which is fair. More From Jon Heyman While the Mets are only three games over .500, their deadline goal should be extraordinarily simple. First lets dispense with the idea they will become a big seller and trade Pete Alonso. Thats insanity. The players worked their way into this position for a team in the biggest market with the richest Luis Perales Jersey owner. If they sell now, they should move to Des Moines. Anyway, I doubt they will. The great thing about the Mets current situation is that they already own the very two things most teams lack: rotation depth and lineup depth. The Mets po se s enough starting pitchers that enabled them to move the emerging Jose Butto to the bullpen, and the lineup has a chance to contain threats one through nine if former batting champion Jeff McNeil can get his act completely together (among ex-batting champs, hes at least ahead of DJ LeMahieu, whose first homer Monday was celebrated as if hed discovered the Fountain of Youth, which is one idea). The Mets can consider right field if they like (red-hot poser Randy Arozarena would be interesting), and if they want to get cute, they could even trade from their rotation stash once he was a year ago, as Mike Puma suggested weeks ago. But their lone pre sing need remains obvious: they must bolster a bullpen thats mostly moved to the season injured list (Brooks Raley, Drew Smith), the temporarily injured list (Reed Garrett) or low-leverage situations (Adam Ottavino, Jake Diekman). Jose Butto is coming out of the Mets bullpen as a true luxury. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Itll be a sellers market for just about everything, but the good news is this: relievers still cost quarters on the dollar compared to positional starters or certainly rotation mainstays at a time when the Mets remain intent on keeping their prospect stash together. As for the Yankees, in a word: Oy. General manager Brian Cashman, the years-long whipping boy of fans, . Or two. Garrett Crochet is not likely to be a Yankees answer for the rotation. Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports The rotation that was the best in baseball for two-plus months became close to the worst for a month. The lineup that was the best in the game for those same two-plus months was close to the worst for that same month. For weeks the Yankees were talking like they needed only . Now, if thats their total take, fuhgetaboutit. The pen still needs some help, especially of the swing-and-mi s variety, thats true. But now they will need to look more seriously at rotation help. While the Yankees have talent galore among their starting stable, Gerrit Cole, the games best pitcher, is generally looking effective since his return, and Clarke Schmidt is coming back soon, they need help. And incidentally, despite a report, I still doubt theyll surrender the next Aaron Judge (i.e. Spencer Jones) for Garrett Crochet, whos a better fit for a team like the Dodgers with a big lead due to his innings crunch. The Yankees need Gleyber Torres to get past his struggles. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post The Yankees most glaring i sue, however, is that two-superstar offense thats unlikely to work come the playoffs. Luis Severino was already my favorite local player to interview , and it turns out he talks similarly among friends as his memorable remark that the Yankees have only two good hitters in a trash-talk se sion with former pinstriped pals proves, is darned close to the truth. Id only edit Severinos comment slightly to say two all-time great hitters but his point hit the target. I wont go over all the ugly numbers here, but suffice to say, its hard to imagine a lineup composed of the games two best hitters and will go anywhere in October. The Yankees presumably will have to a sume guys with track records who are in their primes like Alex Verdugo and Gleyber Torres will regain some semblance of form, and hope that Giancarlo Stanton will produce as he did before his annual injury. A third baseman looks like a must, with Luis Rengifo, Jonathan India, Matt Chapman and Isaac Paredes among potential targets. The Yankees must make a fix at third base perhaps Luis Rengifo? Getty Images Theyll need to do something. To rely on a sumption and prayer at this point would be folly. As constituted, the Yankees simply are not good enough. Darwinzon Hernandez Jersey