Latest news with #SubwaySeries-opening
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Mets' Brett Baty has chance to solidify place in lineup after clutch homer
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free The Mets' new-look top of the order has settled in and is showing potential few teams can match. The bottom of the order, though, has been a problem. The Mets' various young options who have been given chances at third base have not yet run with the job. So if Brett Baty can keep hitting like this, maybe two Mets issues could be solved. Batting out of the 7-hole, the young infielder did his part in drilling a home run in the Mets' 6-5, Subway Series-opening comeback victory over the Yankees at Citi Field on Friday. Baty's RBI from that home run was the only one collected by the Mets' Nos. 6-9 hitters. Brett Baty hits a home run during the Mets-Yankees game on July 4, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post Brandon Nimmo has looked natural at the top of the lineup; Francisco Lindor has shown signs of breaking out of his slump; Juan Soto is on a tear; Pete Alonso is powerful; and Jeff McNeil, the hero of the day, can hold down the fifth spot. Baty entered his fourth-inning at-bat in an 0-for-14 skid. But he first smacked a single through the left side and, two innings later, stepped up against righty Ian Hamilton. In the sixth, Baty saw a first-pitch slider well and laid off a pitch that slid out of the strike zone. The next slider crossed the middle of the plate and Baty 'just let it rip,' he said, in lasering his ninth homer of the season and first since June 14 over the right field wall to bring the Mets to within one run. Baty was happy to help his team but did not feel as if he were representing the bottom of the order. Brett Baty celebrates during the Mets-Yankees game on July 4, 2025. Getty Images 'I think we're all just one unit,' Baty said. 'I think, honestly, every single one of us at any point can do damage.' The 25-year-old can do damage, as he demonstrated during his huge May, but his results (and the club's results) were not there in June. Ronny Mauricio has not hit much and is piling up strikeouts. Mark Vientos has gone 2-for-19 since returning from the injured list. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS The Mets would love for someone to step up, and perhaps Baty — who is the best third baseman in the mix — is creeping his foot forward. For his part, Baty has felt his at-bats — even while he couldn't find a hit — have been strong. 'Especially this past week and in the Milwaukee series, I feel like I hit three or four balls over 100 [mph], and just none of them fell,' said Baty, whose OPS sits at .685. 'So I think it's just staying within myself and just keep doing the same thing, try to hit the ball hard.'
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Reed Garrett emphatically breaks out of funk to save Mets' exhausted bullpen
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free The Mets had nowhere else to turn. All things considered, they had to be content with Justin Hagenman and Austin Warren surviving a combined six innings while allowing five runs. They received excellence from Huascar Brazobán in a three-strikeout seventh inning. They could not signal for Ryne Stanek, who had pitched in back-to-back games; did not want to ask for a third straight day from Edwin Díaz; wanted to stay away from Brandon Waddell, who is expected to start Sunday; their remaining relievers consisted of the just-called-up Rico Garcia and Chris Devenski, the just-re-signed Richard Lovelady and a slumping — probably from overuse — Reed Garrett. Reed Garrett pitches during the Mets-Yankees game on July 4, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post Carlos Mendoza opted for Garrett, who then ensured Mendoza would not have to use a fifth pitcher on the day. Garrett — who had been lit up by the Brewers on Wednesday and who had allowed eight runs in his past 3 ¹/₃ innings — shook off the funk and the fatigue to somehow record the final six outs of the 6-5, Subway Series-opening Mets victory at Citi Field on Friday. 'I think we've shown a lot over the last month of just who we are as a team. I think if you back us into a corner, we're going to find our way out of it,' said Garrett, who was talking about the Mets but could have been talking about himself. He lugged a right arm that has tied with Brazobán for the most appearances by a Mets pitcher this season and had burned 21 pitches in Wednesday's meltdown and entered in the eighth inning, minutes after Jeff McNeil's home run had given the Mets a one-run edge. Garrett needed 14 pitches to survive Giancarlo Stanton, Jazz Chisholm Jr. (who singled), Paul Goldschmidt and Ben Rice, and returned to a dugout and a conversation he did not want to have with Mendoza. 'I was trying to walk away so he couldn't take me out of the game,' Garrett said with a smile. Reed Garrett reacts during the Mets-Yankees game on July 4, 2025. Robert Sabo for NY Post Garrett told Mendoza he physically was fine and could keep going. His manager told him they would go one batter at a time. 'Give me everything you got,' Mendoza said of Garrett, who obliged. The presence of Aaron Judge loomed throughout the ninth, the superstar set to hit if one Yankee could reach base against Garrett. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS Trent Grisham (who flew out), DJ LeMahieu (who was robbed by a tremendous diving stab and throw from McNeil) and Jasson Domínguez (ground out) could not. As Domínguez's ground ball reached McNeil, Garrett took a few hops in anticipation. When Pete Alonso caught the throw from McNeil, Garrett pumped his fist, which reflected 1) that the teams, too, care about the Subway Series and 2) that this meant a little bit more considering his recent stretch and a woefully thin bullpen around him. 'To get the last six, it was big for me,' Garrett said after his third save of the season and a 29-pitch outing that tied for his most in a game this year. 'A little subtle reminder to keep going, keep fighting.' Asked what he would have done if Garrett could not return to the mound for the ninth, Mendoza laughed and offered, 'I'm glad I didn't have to make that decision.'
New York Post
18-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees' Devin Williams had Pete Alonso playoff mistake on his mind during Subway Series matchup
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free Devin Williams had much more success facing Pete Alonso in Friday's win over the Mets than he did during their last matchup, when Alonso took him deep for a go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth during the deciding Game 3 of the wild card series between Milwaukee and the Mets, when Williams was still the Brewers' closer. Now serving as the Yankees' setup man after a miserable start following his trade to The Bronx, Williams struck out Alonso to lead off the top of the eighth. Advertisement Asked about the at-bat on Saturday, before the Yankees faced the Mets again at the Stadium, Williams said, 'I was happy to get him out. That's about it.' Devin Williams walks off the mound after pitching the eighth inning of the Yankees' Subway Series win over the Mets on May 16, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post He acknowledged the previous meeting was in the back of his mind. Advertisement 'It was, but is what it is,'' Williams said. 'It's just another at-bat and we won.' Williams went on to strike out Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo in perhaps his best performance as a Yankee. It was his fourth straight scoreless outing and seventh in eight appearances since being replaced in the closer role by Luke Weaver. Advertisement Pete Alonso reacts after getting struck out by Devin Williams during the eighth inning of the Mets' Subway Series-opening loss to the Yankees. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post 'I've been doing that for a little while now,'' Williams said of his improved performance. 'Thats it. As far I'm concerned, I'm good. I've hardly given up any runs in the last eight or nine outings. That's what it's supposed to be.' Asked if he felt he had shown some resilience in bouncing back, Williams said, 'You could say that.' Advertisement And Williams, who had gotten off to rough starts to seasons at times with Milwaukee, added: 'It's nothing I haven't dealt with. There's just more people with opinions here. I had to mute a few more profiles on Twitter.'
New York Post
17-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Jonathan Loáisiga excels in long-awaited Yankees return: ‘I was missing it'
The Yankees bullpen got deeper and more dangerous Friday, if slightly more injury-prone. Jonathan Loáisiga was activated off the injured list in time for the Subway Series in The Bronx, making it back 13 months after undergoing UCL surgery and throwing a scoreless sixth inning in a 6-2 win over the Mets. 'A lot of adrenaline. I was missing it,' Loáisiga said through an interpreter. 'I wanted to be out there, pitching for the team, pitching for the fans. I was really missing it and excited to be back.' Loáisiga needed just 12 pitches to record three outs, working around a double with a sinker that sat around 96-98 mph. 'The one thing I didn't want [was] the velo to tick up too much,' manager Aaron Boone said. 'Now that next step of, 'Boom, you haven't been out here for a year, you're in Yankee Stadium, it's Subway Series,' so there's just an energy in the building. I thought he did a really good job of controlling that and letting his stuff work. I thought he was really sharp.' Jonathan Loaisiga walks off the mound fter the sixth inning of the Yankees' 6-2 Subway Series-opening win over the Mets on May 16, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST The Yankees designated lefty reliever Tyler Matzek for assignment to make room for Loáisiga. They had liked what they saw from the veteran Matzek early in spring training, but upon returning from an oblique strain, he was not sharp in seven appearances. Loáisiga has been largely strong for the Yankees when healthy, posting a 2.98 ERA in 139 games from 2020-2024. The only problem has been staying off the injured list, which has been a struggle. He missed time in 2019 and 2021 with a shoulder strain and in 2022 with shoulder inflammation, had surgery in 2023 to remove a bone spur in his right elbow, then underwent UCL reconstruction with an internal brace in April of last year after making just three appearances. Jonathan Loaisiga made his long-awaited return for the Yankees in their win over the Mets. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS At his best, though, Loáisiga can be a righty killer with a high-90s sinker, providing more of a power look than the rest of the arms the Yankees currently have in their bullpen — a unit that entered Friday with an ERA of 3.47, good for ninth-best in the majors even with Devin Williams' inflated numbers. The Yankees had initially planned to have Loáisiga finish off his rehab assignment by throwing on back-to-back days this weekend at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but instead brought him back early because of how well he was throwing the ball and bouncing back. 'In the end, we decided he's pitched a lot. He's done everything we've needed him to do,' Boone said. 'He's had probably more than even a normal spring training as far as buildup, and it's just been so good. We feel like we should be able to protect him here in this first week, 10 days, two weeks. We can protect him when he pitches, having him down, things like that. So we'll be mindful of that. 'Just felt like what we've been looking at the last few months, it's been really good.'
