The Yankees looked like the best team in baseball for a long while, and they still own the most wins (tied with the Phillies). Meantime, the Mets couldn’t beat the likes of the Marlins six weeks ago and they still possess a losing record.
Yet, there’s some question — at least for today — where the better team resides. It just may be in Queens.
The Mets are still only 38-39 even after blowing most of an eight-run lead and barely hanging on to beat the Yankees 9-7 in the first game of the Subway Series. But the Mets have the majors’ best record in June, and they are starting to steamroll some very good pitchers, including the best in the game Tuesday night.
The Mets blitzed defending AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole for four home runs before a celebrity-studded gathering at Citi Field, including Kenny Smith, Bill O’Reilly, Donovan Mitchell, Guy Fieri and Grimace. I’d venture to say most in the celeb sections would tell you the Mets resemble a serious threat now while the Yankees look fairly questionable — at least for now (I’m not counting Grimace, who’s obviously biased).
The Mets should be a playoff team (especially if they add some relievers). Yes, you heard they were October-bound here back on May 18 when I wrote they’d make the playoffs while watching them lose 8-0 to the Marlins, the worst team in the National League. But this time I really mean it.
The Mets will still need to make better pitches out of the pen, I get that. For nine more games they don’t have their banned closer Edwin Diaz, who put himself (and them) in a sticky situation. But with a six-run lead they simply can’t walk Juan Soto to load the bases for Aaron Judge. And they can’t throw an 0-2 pitch down the middle to Judge for a grand slam. We can’t pick on Reed Garrett for that one. He’s been a revelation. But geez.
The real story of the day once again was a Mets lineup that’s been remade into a terror order, with threats nearly beginning to bottom.
“They’re clicking one through nine, and it’s special,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
The lineup continues to kill it. It feels like a long time ago when Francisco Lindor was struggling to get above the Mendoza (the other Mendoza) line. But Lindor, settled into the leadoff spot (good move, Carlos Mendoza!), is playing like a $341M player, and everyone behind him is raking, too.
Mark Vientos is the man right now. He always thought he could hit major league pitching, and now he’s getting the chance to prove it.
Apologies, Mark, we all under-rated you.
The 451-foot home run at Wrigley Field the other day was beautiful. But it’s hard to top the night he had Tuesday when he hit two home runs against Cole, likely the best pitcher he’s ever faced.
Vientos continues to be the spectacular Met. But they are all contributing. J.D. Martinez was a late-spring, $12M (pro-rated) bargain. Not only does he hit two line drives a game, he hands out tips for free to the younger guys (which is everyone else).
The Mets look great now. And compared to the Yankees lately, well, it’s no contest.
While the Mets’ lineup is deep, the Yankees’ order seems to hit a wall three or four batters in. They still have the two best hitters in baseball, but things are precarious. If Soto or Judge goes down, they are in serious trouble.
Gleyber Torres, in a bit of wishful thinking or perhaps a flashback to 2019, was the cleanup hitter. He went zero for four, and made an error to boot.
DJ LeMahieu, he of two batting titles, now has a batting average of .174 and a slugging percentage of .174, which as you mathletes have guessed, means he still has zero extra-base hits. Manager Aaron Boone said pregame that they intend to be patient with LeMahieu, and they probably have no choice.
Third base looks like a rotation of maybes. Former Met J.D. Davis, a sensible pickup since the team currently needs help at all three roles he plays — first base, third base and DH — fit right in, contributing two strikeouts and a double-play grounder in his debut.
But enough negativity. Let’s get back to the Mets, who look ready to fulfill baseball president David Stearns spring suggestion to The Post that they are a “playoff caliber” team. If they were planning to sell back in May, you can hardly blame them if they were. But they better not now.
If anything, they need to add. Their bullpen numbers look OK, but they’ve blown way too many leads late (they lead the majors blowing a lead heading into the ninth inning six times).
Even assuming Diaz can unstick himself and be effective when he returns after his 10-game ban, they look short in the pen. It’s surely an issue for them, but it’s a small one compared to all the Yankees are experiencing now.
