Three Yankees takeaways from Subway Series vs. Mets
Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the dugout with teammates after scoring a run against the Mets during the first inning on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. Credit: Noah K. Murray
Here are three Yankees takeaways from the Subway Series:
1. Boo who?
Yankees fans spent three days letting Juan Soto know how hurt they are he left them for the Mets. Perhaps the fans should have thrown bouquets rather than brickbats.
If Soto had taken the Yankees’ 16-year, $760-million offer, chances are they wouldn’t have had the money to trade for Cody Bellinger and/or sign Paul Goldschmidt, and maybe some other things.
On Sunday, Bellinger went 3-for-3 with a grand slam, six RBIs and two walks in the Yankees’ 8-2 victory.
Season totals after Sunday:
- Soto: .246, eight homers, .822 OPS
- Bellinger: .258, seven homers, .789 OPS
- Goldschmidt: .339, five homers, .878 OPS
Soto is a great offensive player and obviously the Yankees would have loved to have signed him. You don’t offer $760 million if you don’t want the player.
But there is an argument to be made that the team is better off with Soto switching boroughs because of what it would have meant for the front office’s ability to add to the roster.
And it’s not just Bellinger and Goldschmidt. Would the Yankees have signed Max Fried, who is 6-0 with a 1.29 ERA? Would they have kept Trent Grisham as a $5-million backup outfielder who has hit 12 home runs? Would they have had to go younger in the pitching staff and lineup to stay under MLB’s top tax rate? Remember, even Steve Cohen isn’t thrilled about having to pay the "Steve Cohen" payroll tax. There’s no chance Hal Steinbrenner wants to pay it.
Overall, Soto went 1-for-10 with four walks and four strikeouts. His return to the Bronx went so poorly that Aaron Judge had to offer words of encouragement to his former teammate after Sunday’s game.
“Just said hello to him,” Judge said. “I hadn’t seen him all series. Just kind of wished him the best. I kind of said, ‘Hey, you’re the best in the game. Things like this are going to happen. Just keep playing your game.’ It was good to see him. Happy we were able to either walk him or not let him do any damage, especially in this series.”
2. Redemption song
It was hard to hear over all the Soto booing during Friday’s series opener, but there was a big moment in the eighth inning for Devin Williams.
The deposed closer was called in to start the inning with the Yankees up 6-1. The first batter was Pete Alonso.
Yes, the same Pete Alonso who hit that huge home run off Williams – then with Milwaukee -- in the playoffs last season.
Williams, who has been much better since being replaced as closer by Luke Weaver, struck out Alonso, and then struck out Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo.
Williams downplayed it. But it still had to feel good. He then threw another perfect eighth on Sunday and picked up the win.
Maybe closer in New York is too much for Williams, who seems better suited for a small market like Milwaukee and will probably bolt for the Yankee Stadium exit as a free agent once the season is over. Williams might be better suited here for the eighth inning. Nothing wrong with that.
3. DJ plays classic hits
This is the Yankees’ production from second base and third base:
- Second base: .196 batting average, .688 OPS.
- Third base: .203 batting average, .568 OPS.
The second base numbers include DJ LeMahieu’s starts there in the last two games. On Saturday, he went 2-for-4 with a home run. LeMahieu also looked frisky in the field, with one diving play and one ball stopped without an out recorded on another dive.
LeMahieu went 1-for-4 on Sunday and made another diving play to rob Soto of a hit in the eighth.
LeMahieu is 36 and has been as brittle as any player in baseball over the past few years. It would be madness to expect him to return to the form he had when he won a pair of batting titles.
But a LeMahieu who is somewhat close to his vintage form can help the Yankees have serviceable offensive players at third and second base once Jazz Chisholm Jr. returns from his oblique injury.
Perhaps LeMahieu could settle into being the righthanded partner with Jorbit Vivas at third once Chisholm is back. Chisholm moved to third in 2024 after the Yankees acquired him from Miami, but insiders say he wants to stay at second now.
Vivas had his first true "Yankee Moment" on Sunday with his epic 11-pitch at-bat against Ryne Stanek in the eighth inning. Vivas hit a grounder to first that Pete Alonso airmailed to home plate for an error and the go-ahead run.
The Yankees like the lefty hitting Vivas. After that gutty at-bat against a pitcher throwing 100 miles per hour, they like him even more.
“Vivas, what an AB, man,” Aaron Boone said.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
