Mets look to reboot in a brief Subway Series showdown against the Yankees at Citi Field
The Mets and Yankees open a two-game set on Tuesday with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander on the hill over the next two days
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets and Yankees open a brief, two-game series at Citi Field on Tuesday
Pete Alonso currently sits in second place behind Freddie Freeman among first basemen, Francisco Lindor is second among shortstops behind Orlando Arcia, and Francisco Álvarez is in fourth place among catchers in the National League’s All-Star Ballot (current totals)
News and Notes 🗞️
Pete Alonso was once again noncommittal on his future with the Mets at a comedy event in Huntington on Monday (New York Post)
The Mets promoted RHP pitching prospect Mike Vasil from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse
Former Met Daniel Murphy signed a minor league contract with the Angels after a stint with the Long Island Ducks this season
The Mets will honor R.A. Dickey at Citi Field on Tuesday
Roster Moves 📰
Signed INF/DH Luke Voit to a minor league contract
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (31-35) vs. Yankees (38-29)
Where: Citi Field, Flushing, New York
Starters: RHP Max Scherzer (5-2, 3.71 ERA) vs RHP Luis Severino (0-1, 5.75 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: WPIX
It’s up to Scherzer and Verlander to keep the season off life support this week… ✍️
Well, it’s the start of another subway series between the Mets and Yankees.
In this chapter, both clubs are missing their superstar power hitters - Aaron Judge is out with a sprained toe, and Pete Alonso is out with a bruised hand. Fortunately, neither injury will keep them out very long, but in a showcase series like this, not having the two headline players actually playing sours the mood around the event.
At any rate, I am not one of those people who makes such a big deal over the subway series anymore. When I was young and this was a fresh idea, I was totally into it, found these games to be intense, and early on the two clubs played a lot of memorable games against each other as well.
It all started with Dave Mlicki’s improbable win in the first ever subway series matchup at the old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. I also remember that wild see-saw game in 1999 at Shea Stadium when Mike Piazza hit one to the moon off of Ramiro Mendoza and the Mets ultimately won on a Matt Franco RBI single off of Mariano Rivera.
There was of course David Wright’s game winning hit over Johnny Damon’s head in 2006, among several others the Mets have actually won.
Then of course there was the Luis Castillo game, which I still find to be utterly ridiculous. So ridiculous that when it happened, I literally started laughing. I knew I shouldn’t have laughed, but it was so beyond bad and embarrassing, it was just my initial response.
But the whole thing has lost its luster for me. They’re just regular games the Mets simply need to win at this point. I know other people don’t share that sentiment. They sell out or have near sell outs in every one of these games, the stadiums are loud and animated, so I could be in the minority.
Still, it is good for the city. It brings people together, fans go back and forth, sometimes there are some unnecessary fights in the ballpark which are regrettable, but all-in-all I think it serves as a good distraction for folks, and often times brings out the best - or the worst - in both clubs on the field.
For the Mets specifically this week, it’s much like it was last week when they played the Braves. They need to prove they belong in the conversation and find a path to doing so. They have their two highest paid players going in this series in Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. Simply put, it’s time for them to start earning their paychecks in 2023. It’s an opportunity for both of them to pick this club up from the ashes after an absolutely miserable road trip (and conclusion to their last homestand, for that matter), realign the club’s season and get them pointed back in the right direction.
This team is going to live or die by what Scherzer and Verlander do on the mound. That’s been as clear as day since the very beginning. When they’re not there or not pitching well, this team has no direction. When they’ve pitched to the paycheck, things fall into place, albeit imperfectly given their other issues on the roster.
That’s how I see the subway series, specifically in 2023.
The season isn’t yet on life support, yet anyway, but it’s up to these two hall of fame pitchers to ensure the bleeding stops here and that in fact doesn’t happen. Both of them need to find the best version of themselves again at this stage of their careers. And Scherzer certainly needs to simply stop complaining about the new rules, cope, adjust and deal like he has for the last 15 years.
That’s what they’re paid to do.
Around the League 🚩
JT Realmuto hit for the cycle, things became heated between the D-Backs and the Phillies, and Arizona ultimately prevailed 9-8 over Philadelphia in Phoenix on Monday
The A’s have now won six games in a row to improve to 18-50 after their 4-3 win over the Rays in Oakland
Shohei Ohtani homered twice, including one in the 12th inning in the Angels wild 9-6 win over the Rangers in Arlington
The Mariners reeled in the Marlins with an 8-1 drubbing in Seattle - Luis Arraez went 0-for-4 to dip his batting average to .391 in the loss