Reese Kaplan -- Now It's Time for the Big Boys to Play

In a lot of ways this weekend series is the culmination of the 2025 season thus far for Steve Cohen’s Mets.  The team has been beset with a huge number of key injuries yet here we are about to enter Yankee Stadium in first place in the National League East with a 28-16 record 2.5 games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies.  If the Mets were just a single game better in the standings they would be tied with the Dodgers for the best number in the whole league. 

Over in the Bronx it would appear the Yankees are doing nearly as well.  They own first place in the American League East with a 25-18 record, holding a 3.5 game lead over the second place northerners, the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Of course, standings, margins over fellow division contenders and traditional intra-city rivalries get an extra big boost this season with former Yankees Clay Holmes and Juan Soto about to return to the visitor locker room at the House that Ruth Built.  Holmes didn’t do especially well on Wednesday against the Pirate having given up a pair of two-run homers, but he’s still 5-2 with a 3.14 ERA.  That’s sure not bad for a converted reliever-turned-starter.

The bigger news, of course, is the return of Juan Soto to the place where he paired with Aaron Judge to form one of the most formidable 3-4 combos in the American League.  The Yankee fans are still smarting over Soto’s decision to move across town to his new 15-year home with the Mets and they are likely giddy over the less-than-MVP level of production he’s provided.  That’s all phony bravado, of course, as they would all welcome him back in the pinstripes in a heartbeat.

The Mets wouldn’t be enjoying the success they have spawned if not for the unexpected stellar starting pitching not just from Holmes, but also from Kodai Senga, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and David Peterson.  The starting five has been so good in aggregate that there all of the sudden is no mad rush to get Sean Manaea, another former Yankee in Frankie Montas, and Paul Blackburn from their injury rehabilitations.

The bullpen has also been surprisingly solid with Edwin Diaz having seemed to correct what had ailed him earlier and lowered his ERA to 3.14.  Max Kranick’s perfect start wasn’t going to last forever, but even with a few scored-upon outings lately he’s still at 3.65.  After his unexpectedly capable 2024 Reed Garrett has been even better in 2025 with an ERA of just 1.06  Huascar Brazoban is fighting for that ERA title with a mark of just 1.08. 

Now the newcomers to the 2025 pen are still in need of longer trials in the earlier innings.  Dedniel Nunez finally had a terrific outing on Wednesday in the loss to Pittsburgh and Genesis Cabrera is showing the ability to fan opposing hitters.  Both of these pitchers were needed with both A.J. Minter and Danny Young done for the season.

Behind them in rehab you have recovering Brooks Raley signed recently who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery.  Drew Smith is moving from long tossing to the mound this coming week as well.  Neither are due in the near term but have provided solid efforts when asked to do so prior to their injuries. 

Hitting has been the weak spot for the Mets once you get past Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso.  The rest of the team is waking up with even Francisco Alvarez hitting for a high average.  

The ongoing battles for playing time between Luisangel Acuna, Brett Baty, Jeff McNeil, Mark Vientos and the spare outfielders are showing some improvement but no one is truly standout yet.  It’s entirely possible that when these hitters return to their more normal level of play that the pressure will come off the pitchers.

As far as who is hot and who is not for the Bronx Bombers, well, we’ll soon see in person and determine if strong pitching can beat solid hitting.