About a month into the 162-game MLB regular season, the New York baseball teams are beginning to hint at where they will rank by the end of the season, and how accurate the predictions of sports analysts are panning out to be. The New York Mets have begun the season on a hot streak, leading the National League with a 19-9 record. The New York Yankees have had a promising start to the season, with clear areas they can build upon; their current record is 17-11, which ranks second in the American League.
The Mets’ off-season moves are paying off; the team has won three out of four of its recent series, two of which were sweeps. Their team earned run average (ERA) ranks the lowest in the majors right now at 2.53, displaying the strength of their bullpen, which includes stars like Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill and Edwin Díaz. The middle of the Mets’ lineup features some of the most revered power hitters in the game, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso. Soto, who signed the largest baseball contract in history during the offseason, is not putting up the numbers the Mets coaching staff was expecting. He is hitting with an average of .248 with three home runs and 12 RBIs. Soto received some pushback after a comment was made about the lack of power in the Mets’ lineup. He remarked on the difference it made having one of the best power hitters in the lineup behind him, referring to his 2024 season with the Yankees and Aaron Judge.
At this point in the season, the Mets are proving to be a hard team to beat and are looking to be a strong contender for the 2025 playoffs. Right now, the Mets rank 18 out of 30 teams for total home runs, which surprised me with such big names on their roster, yet they ranked number one in this week’s MLB power rankings. The team is also dealing with some injuries from top contenders. Jose Siri and Frankie Montas are both on the injured list but are expected to make their returns around early June. These additions to the roster could continue to increase the Mets’ prospects. The team faced a tough walk-off on Sunday afternoon, but looked to even the series and move on from the loss. If the Mets can take offensive opportunities and turn them into clutch hits and have more reliable bullpen consistency, they could prove even more of a threat to their National League opponents.
Across town in the Bronx, the Yankees have had a somewhat turbulent but ultimately very encouraging start to their season. They have won three out of four of their last series. The Yankees team numbers are proving to be very strong, leading in on-base percentage, slugging, home runs and batting average against opponents. Aaron Judge has had a phenomenal start, putting up incomparable numbers; he leads the league with an average of .406 and a .717 slugging percentage. While his home runs are not the most in the league, he still contributes substantially to the team’s success with 27 RBIs, which is second in the league. Along with Judge, youngsters Ben Rice and Austin Wells are proving themselves irreplaceable parts of the lineup, and newly acquired, long-time Cardinal Paul Goldschmidt is in second behind Judge in the league with an average of .365.
Areas of struggle for the Yankees have been consistent pitching and utilizing runners in scoring position. Their team ERA of 3.70 ranks 11th in the MLB, not where manager Aaron Boone would want the bullpen. With star ace Gerrit Cole and 2024 Rookie of the Year Luis Gil on the injured list, the starting rotation lacks the depth it once had. New trade acquisition Max Fried has been a substantial addition to the rotation with a blistering ERA of 1.43. Newly appointed closer Luke Weaver continues to be as dominant as ever after a highly successful 2024 season, coming as relief pitching and in a few save opportunities.
Devin Williams, who was acquired in a trade from the Brewers in the offseason, was supposed to fill the role of the weapon closer. Still, he has yet to come in and prove his talent. Williams was solely responsible for the Yankees’ loss on Friday, April 25, against the Toronto Blue Jays, where he gave up three runs in the top of the ninth. Williams remains a liability for this team. The Yankees will be a threat if they dial in their pitching and take risks with runners in scoring position. More bold base running moves from young players such as Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera could set this team apart.
The Yankees and the Mets will face each other in the highly anticipated Subway Series on May 16 through 18 at Yankee Stadium. This three-game series will be the first test of which New York baseball team is performing better. It will also be the first time Soto returns to Yankee Stadium after the gut-wrenching loss of game six in the World Series, which gave the championship title to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
