As I sit here on this lovely Fourth of July, the New York Mets and New York Yankees are facing off in the second Subway Series of 2025. The Yanks are currently ahead 5-4 but given how these two teams have played lately, no lead is safe. Both the Yanks and Mets started today out of first place, something that has not occurred in almost three months. The Mets have seemingly placed a pitcher on the injured list every day this week while the Yankees did nothing right in getting swept out of first place by the Toronto Blue Jays. July 4th represents celebrations, fireworks and good times. Unfortunately, our New York baseball teams are in short supply of all three.
The MLB season is more than halfway complete. In the course of an entire season or even a half, bad baseball is going to happen for a period of time to all teams, no matter how good they are. The Yankees and Mets just happen to be going through their rough patches at the same time. Right now, it feels like neither team is going to return to the playoffs. The Blue Jays have surpassed the Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays have pulled even with them. The Philadelphia Phillies’ lead over the Mets feels a lot larger than just one game. The Yankees arguably suffered their worst loss of the season Wednesday night, getting behind 8-0, tying it at 9 and then losing 11-9 with Aaron Judge in the on deck circle. The Mets have won two games in a row but the last time that happened, they were blasted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in their next series. Anthony Volpe can’t stop making mistakes in the field, Mark Vientos looks lost since he returned from the IL. The rotations (minus Max Fried) can’t go past five innings, the bullpen can’t hold leads. Mental mistakes are happening all over the diamond and the managers can’t stop the bleeding. Other than these “minor” issues, everything is just swell with the Yankees and Mets.
There are still another three months left in the season. Both teams desperately need to get to the All Star Break. Management has to evaluate the greatest need for each of their respective organizations. The good vibes that existed all of last Summer for the Yankees and Mets have evaporated on this special day. The array of fireworks that began the season have turned out to be duds. It’s not too late to turn them back into Roman Candles.
Threeunassisted 