Juan Soto Returns and Flops in Subway Series

Wow, the first half of the Subway Series certainly did not lack for drama and excitement. Three terrific games and the Yankees won two of them so that was great. And with the rest of the AL East losing Sunday, the Yankees now lead the Red Sox and Blue Jays by five games and the Rays by six. Lets get to it. 

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That was quite a weekend in the Bronx, and it was certainly a bonus that the Yankees won two of the three games against the cross-town rival Mets.

It was a series that lived up to all of the hype, one that matched two first-place teams who could very well be in the mix to represent their respective leagues in the World Series, though I’ll tap the brakes on that because it’s still way too early in the season to make any wild proclamations.

For the middle of May, this was great baseball, played with the tenacity of a postseason series in front of three raucous sellout crowds at Yankee Stadium including the nationally-televised Sunday Night Baseball finale on ESPN. It doesn’t get much better than that.

The rivalry between the Yankees and Mets is everlasting and even though I still say the long-time AL East rivalries with the Red Sox, Rays, Blue Jays and Orioles are better because they’re more impactful in the standings. But you also know one of my pet phrases is that “every game matters” and I’ll admit that playing the Mets brings a drama and importance on par with the division games.

And of course, now there’s the added layer of Juan Soto having defected from the Bronx to Queens in the offseason, turning the heat up on these games a few notches, and if the first series since that happened was any indication, future Yankees-Mets games are going to continue to be must-see TV.

Naturally, the first game sort of took a back seat to the expected reception Soto received from a tuned up crowd that came loaded for bear. As I said before the series began, given what he meant to the Yankees last season and how they would not have gone to the World Series without him, I think they should have appreciated Soto in his first at bat, then booed the hell out of him the rest of the way. But the booing started immediately with his first at bat, and then came the epic back turn by everyone in the right-field bleachers when he went out there for the bottom of the first. That was pretty funny.

“I was ready for it,” said Soto, who drew four walks in the three games but went 1-for-10, so maybe he wasn’t as ready as he claimed for the vitriol that was spit at him. “They’re really passionate fans and they’re hurt. They’re going to do the best for their team, and they just feel that way. You gotta embrace it. Whatever they give you, it is what it is. You got to be a professional. You got to take it as a man. I was just enjoying the moment.”

He’s right, Yankees fans are hurt, but more than that, they’re pissed because in their minds, he turned his back on the Yankees and their $760 million offer and it’s not often that the Yankees lose out on a player that we know they’re pursuing hard, but it’s also the new 21st-century reality.

Yes, the Yankees are a storied franchise, but these players today don’t give a shit about that. It’s all about money, and they’re going where the highest bidder is. In just the last two years the Yankees lost to the Dodgers on Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, and now they lost to the Mets on Soto.

It’s no longer a surprise when this happens, but the difference with Soto is that he was in the building for a year, a great year at that, and he was beloved by his teammates and the fans, yet that still wasn’t enough because as I said, money talks and the Mets offered more, plus a whole lot of other perks.

Fine. He took the money and the perks and ran. This was never a problem for me; I said when it happened that as long as the Yankees use some of the money they had earmarked for Soto to upgrade the 2025 roster, all would be well, and that’s exactly what they did. If they had re-signed Soto, I’m pretty sure Max Fried wouldn’t be here, and with Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil going down, can you imagine the starting rotation without Fried?

The Yankees might not have signed Paul Goldschmidt, and maybe they wouldn’t have made the trade to acquire Cody Bellinger. Those players - who each had terrific at bats in this series - probably aren’t going to be here long, but they’re here this season and they’re going to play pivotal roles as the Yankees try to get back to the World Series.

I’ll reiterate my stance that I was relieved when Soto didn’t re-sign. He’s a generational hitter, no doubt about it, but he really doesn’t do anything else all that well, and to have locked into him for 13 or 14 years would have been bad business for the Yankees. I mean, I felt that way when they re-signed Aaron Judge for nine years at $40 million per season when he was already 31 years old.

Obviously, except for last October, Judge has been great since he signed that deal, but the end of his contract is probably not going to be pretty. Well, same for Soto. He is younger, 27 in October, but I’ll predict that within five or six years, maybe sooner, he’s going to be nothing more than a ridiculously overpaid designated hitter.

In other words, the next Giancarlo Stanton, but probably without the never-ending injuries. And that’s a player I can live without because through the years, the Yankees have had too many of those guys.

“He’s one of the best in the game,” Judge said. “It was good to see him, but I’m happy we were able to either walk him or not let him do any damage.”

May 16: Yankees 6, Mets 2

➤ This was a fun Friday night because the Yankees won a rather stress-free opener and the reception for Soto was certainly theatrical.

➤ As for Soto’s performance, he walked in his first three at bats, all against Carlos Rodon, and he scored after one of the, in the fourth, the only inning the Mets threatened Rodon. Singles by Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo chased home Soto for the only run Rodon allowed in five innings. He gave up just two hits but four walks and some tough Mets at bats drove his pitch count to 102 so Aaron Boone had to turn to the bullpen for 12 outs.

➤ The first guy through the door was Jonathan Loaisiga for his season debut and it went well - no runs as he worked around a one-out double by Nimmo. Mark Leiter did the same, as he allowed a one-out double to Tyrone Taylor, but his escape was more dramatic because he struck out Francisco Lindor and got Soto on a hard grounder up the middle to Anthony Volpe. Devin Williams then threw a great eighth where he struck out the side on 14 pitches, and one of those whiffs came against Pete Alonso. Last October, it was Alonso who stunned Williams with a dramatic ninth-inning home run that enabled the Mets to beat the Brewers in the decisive game of their wild-card series, so you know this was a little sweet redemption for Williams.

➤ The only bullpen slip came from Yerry De los Santos who got into a little trouble in the ninth when he gave up two walks and an RBI double to Lindor before Luke Weaver came in to retire Soto on a fly to center which was actually the perfect ending.

➤ All the Yankees offense came in the third and fourth innings. They knocked out Mets starter Tylor Megill in the third with four runs on three hits, a Lindor error, and four walks with the big blow a two-run single by Paul Goldschmidt followed by a Volpe sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk to Oswald Peraza. In the fourth, Aaron Judge singled, Cody Bellinger started a magnificent weekend for himself with a double, and they scored on a Goldschmidt single and a ground out by Jasson Dominguez.

What they said in Friday’s clubhouse

• Boone: “It was a pretty great environment. It was certainly one of those nights where you could really feel the energy in the building.”

• Rodon on walking Soto three times: “I was trying to get him to swing and miss every time. As he always is, he was real patient. He knows the zone and gets out of there with three walks. I wanted to get him, but he got me. There are days you’ve got to figure out how to get outs when everything’s not on. Today was one of those days. You’ve got to go out and compete. It’s part of the job.”

• Boone on Williams: “He was great. His fastball was good and there were a couple changeups that just disappeared. In our dugout, the depth on those pitches were really good. That’s who he is right there and we’re seeing it more and more.”

• Bellinger: “That was really fun to be a part of. It was loud, the stadium was full. Really any Friday night at Yankee Stadium so far has been really fun to be a part of, but this was just full of energy.”

May 17: Mets 3, Yankees 2

➤ This was a taut game but it was also a frustrating one because of the Yankees’ failure to do the little things which cost them a victory.

➤ Clarke Schmidt was perfect for three innings, but then he had one of those irritating Schmidt innings in the fourth where he couldn’t put guys away and the result was two runs on two hits and three walks. The top of the Mets order started the trouble as Lindor led off with a four-pitch walk, Soto singled, and Alonso singled home a run on a ball that Dominguez probably could have caught, but his inexperience in left field again hurt him. Then Schmidt paid no attention to Soto at second base and he allowed him to steal third, and, surprise, surprise, that led to a run because he scored on a fly ball by Vientos, a pretty big run as it turned out.

➤ Schmidt then put up two nice innings before turning it over to the bullpen. In the meantime, the Yankees - who had led 1-0 on a homer by DJ LeMahieu in the third - had a chance to regain the lead in the fifth, but after JC Escarra walked and LeMahieu singled, they never moved. Jorbit Vivas was not asked to bunt because he has never dropped a bunt down in the minor leagues, so he instead he produced a useless strikeout. The fact that he hasn’t learned to bunt, given that he’s a down-the-order hitter, is inexcusable. That was a perfect place to sacrifice but Boone didn’t do it because he knew the kid couldn’t do it. Rice and Judge then made outs and the scoring chance died.

➤ Bellinger tied it with a bomb to right-center in the sixth, but again, the Yankees wasted a chance here as well. Dominguez and Volpe singled, and with one out, Boone could have sent Austin Wells in to pinch hit for Escarra. He didn’t, even though the Mets brought in one of their best relievers. Huascar Brazabon. Even worse, the contact play was on and Dominguez ran even though Escarra hit a grounder right to Alonso at first base and he was dead meat. I don’t understand why the Yankees do this so often. If the ball is hit right at a corner infielder, you have almost no chance to score. I don’t know why he can’t slam the brakes on and get back to third. Just a killer sequence topped off by LeMahieu grounding out to end it.

➤ In the seventh, Bellinger made a tremendous play to keep the game tied. Boone left Schmidt in to start the inning, and he gave up a first-pitch single to weak-hitting Luis Torrens. I don’t know why Boone sent Schmidt back out rather than give Leiter a clean start to the inning, another dumb move by the manager. After Leiter got a fielders’ choice out, Taylor ripped a shot to left-center. It bounced off the wall and came back past Dominguez who again didn’t play it well. But Bellinger backed him up, took the hop and fired a perfect relay to Volpe who fired a perfect throw home to nail Brett Baty. Two great throws and a great tag by Escarra.

➤ In the eighth, the Yankees had another chance and as I said, little things killed them. Dominguez drew a two-out walk and Volpe followed with a liner into the right-field corner. Unfortunately, the ball caromed perfectly to Soto, but I still thought Dominguez should have been sent home. Make Soto and the Mets make the play with two outs. Instead he was held up, and LeMahieu lined out to Soto to kill the inning.

➤ And then in the ninth, Fernando Cruz failed. He got the first out but then walked Torrens and that was the biggest moment in the game. That just couldn’t happen and you knew it was trouble. Speedy Luisangel Acuna pinch ran, and he went to second when LeMahieu made a nice stop on a grounder but couldn’t grab the ball to throw out Baty at first. Cruz then made another huge mistake and hit No. 9 hitter Taylor to load the bases, and Lindor delivered the winning sacrifice fly. In the bottom half, Mets closer Edwin Diaz mowed through Wells, Rice and Judge to end it.

What they said in Saturday’s clubhouse

• Schmidt on LeMahieu: “He looks like he’s got a little chip on his shoulder. He just looks fresh, looks like he’s got his legs under him. It’s refreshing to see.”

• LeMahieu: “I feel like I’m finding my rhythm pretty quickly after coming off the IL. It’s a couple of games, but I just feel like I’m in a pretty good spot. I was just excited to be out there, to be back with these guys and helping the team.”

• Lindor: “Today was a great team win. To beat a team like that, you have to do a lot of things the right way. Today was a good example of that. It’s just quality at-bats after quality at-bats. No one is trying to be the hero.”

May 18: Yankees 8, Mets 2

➤ OK, so I was just bitching about the contact play from Saturday’s game, but in this game, it worked out very well and opened the door for the defining inning of the game, a six-run explosion by the Yankees in the eighth which was capped by Bellinger’s dramatic grand slam.

➤ Tied at 2-2, Dominguez drew a leadoff walk against flame-throwing Ryne Stanek. LeMahieu struck out but Wells ripped a double to right and Dominguez went to third, though I’ll admit I was pissed he didn’t try to score. With his speed, he should have been allowed to test Soto who is not a great fielder. Anyway, it was second and third with one out and the at bat of the game belonged to Vivas. He battled Stanek for 11 pitches before hitting a grounder to Alonso at first. Dominguez took off and I figured the same thing would happen as Saturday, dead meat. Instead, Alonso threw the ball away and the winning run scored, but the Yankees were far from done. Goldschmidt singled home Wells, Grisham walked to load the bases and after Judge whiffed, ending a tough weekend for him, Bellinger short porched his slam.

➤ Long before all that, Max Fried was dealing again. Six innings, two runs allowed on just three hits and two walks. And the second run came on a wild pitch which I thought Wells could have prevented.

➤ What a series for Bellinger. He gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the first with a double down the line in right, then had a single and two walks before his slam. He went 7-for-10 with three walks, two homers and seven RBI. He now has a career-high-tying 13-game hitting streak and has hiked his average from .196 when it started to .258.

➤ Also a nice series for the bullpen which pitched 10 innings and allowed just two runs, though one of those by Cruz did cost them Saturday’s game. Williams was excellent again in this game, and though he issued a two-out walk, Loaisiga looked really good, too.

➤ Not so good? Volpe. He went 2-for-12 and Sunday he failed twice with the bases loaded, leaving a total of seven men on base. His at bat in the seventh was so awful. He got ahead 3-0 and all he needed to do was take a pitch and the Yankees would have had the lead. Instead he swung at ball four, five and six and struck out to end the threat.

➤This was the 13th time the Yankees have scored at least five runs in an innings, and the 14th time they’ve scored at least eight runs in a game, both MLB-leading numbers.

What they said in Sunday’s clubhouse

• Bellinger on his hot streak: “Results are really good to see, but ultimately, it’s like, ‘What’s the process? What’s the plan? What can I control?’ That’s what I try to focus on. There were a few conversations in there, like, ‘What’s going on? Let’s take a step back.’ The guys on the mound are paid a lot of money to get you out, so I always remember how hard this game is.”

• Fried on the series: “It was definitely exciting. It was intense. Series that feel like playoff series are always good, especially early in the year. It was intense. Both teams going at it, giving everything they had. It preps you for the kind of baseball you want to play towards the end.”

• Boone: “Clearly two good teams having a little fun in May.”

The Yankees get a well-deserved day off after the drama of this weekend, and they’re back at it Tuesday for three games against the talented but somewhat disappointing Rangers (25-23) who many believed would roll in the AL West this season.

Texas has been a tough team to figure out, and it starts with a struggling offense that is currently missing star shortstop Corey Seager. With several players having down years, they rank 26th in runs per game (3.46), average (.227) and OPS (.656). On the pitching side, quite a different story as they rank fifth in ERA (3.24), second in WHIP (1.130) and fourth in batting average against (.222).

Here are some of the Rangers top players to watch:

➤ 2B Marcus Semien: A once dynamic player who at 34 years old is really struggling with a .174 average, a .501 OPS and just 39 total bases.

➤ LF Wyatt Langford: He leads the team with nine home runs and has the second-best OPS (.811) behind only Seager.

➤ RF Adolis Garcia: Leads with 24 RBI but he’s also scuffling with a .272 on-base percentage.

➤ 3B Josh Jung: Probably their most consistent hitter with a .282 average, seven homers and 19 RBI.

The pitching matchups are scheduled to be:

• Tuesday, 7:05, YES: Will Warren (4.61) vs. Patrick Corbin (3.35) who has been one of the worst starters in MLB for years, but has enjoyed a rebirth with Texas.

• Wednesday, 7:05, Amazon Prime: Ryan Yarbrough (3.70) vs. Jacob deGrom (2.29), the oft-injured former Met who is healthy for now and pitching fantastically.

• Thursday, 12:35, YES: Carlos Rodon (3.17) vs. Nathan Eovaldi (1.61), the ex-Yankee who has been one of the best starters in MLB this season as he leads all starters in both leagues with a 0.766 WHIP.