The New York Yankees and New York Mets played a very important series over the weekend, with a victory for the latter in what was a successful weekend for MLB.
Lately, with the Mets mostly scuffling in the last few seasons after reaching the World Series in 2015, the Subway Series had lost some if its allure.
The series entered a stagnant period for a couple of years.
However, this time, the three-game set was extraordinary.
Both teams entered a three-game battle that ended in two wins for the Mets and one for the Bombers.
The Mets took the first game on Friday in a blowout.
On Saturday, both teams commemorated the 20th anniversary of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks, in a heartfelt ceremony that included players of both teams embracing on the field and Joe Torre and Bobby Valentine, the managers of both clubs in 2001, throwing ceremonial first pitches.
The game itself was also thrilling and entertaining, and Aaron Judge won it for the Yankees on a late home run.
Sunday’s Game Was The Best Of The Rivalry
On Sunday, only a day after embracing on the field and listening to the anthem together, Mets and Yankees players got into a verbal spat after Francisco Lindor accused the Bombers of stealing signs.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a game-tying blast late in the game and exchanged words with Lindor as he rounded the bases, which caused the benches to clear.
Ultimately, the Mets had the last laugh, earning the victory with a game-winning home run by Lindor in the bottom of the eight, his third of the night.
Completo abuso lo de Paquito Lindor esta noche ante Yankees. 3 Cuadrangulares🔥Con dedicatoria a Stanton 💪🏽
pic.twitter.com/6eCLQfRrRX— Jonny Aldahir Muñoz (@MunozAldahir) September 13, 2021
The fact that the matchups were so fierce and passionate represents excellent news for the league.
If both teams are playing to the best of their abilities, and tensions are boiling to the point that there will be verbal confrontations between the players of both teams, it means that both organizations have a chance at making the postseason.
If the Yankees and Mets, who play in perhaps the best and largest baseball market in America, have a chance to make it all the way to the postseason, that means they are must-see TV.
MLB Loves Great Ratings
MLB naturally wants people to turn their attention toward its games, especially now that the NFL season has started and may take some of the ratings.
As things stand right now, both could make the playoffs, both can be left out completely, or one of them may get in while the other goes home.
The important thing is they have a chance, and motivated teams often play hard.
Playing hard is usually good TV, and MLB surely doesn’t mind.
The Subway Series remains one of the best rivalries in baseball, and it’s good that fans of both teams are making a big deal of it again after it was somewhat dormant for a brief period.
MLB should do a better job marketing it, but all in all, we can all agree that the weekend was successful for the league and very, very entertaining for neutral fans.
Mets fans celebrated, of course, but even Yankees fans acknowledged that the games, especially Sunday’s, were exciting, and that is always a good thing.
Was the Mets-Yankees subway series game on Sunday the best game this season? pic.twitter.com/HVM0YA7imh
— Daily Baseball (@VideosBaseball) September 15, 2021
The Yankees-Mets rivalry is a very good one, with lots of historical context, and seeing it up and running and with good health is always a nice story.
There is NO Yankees-Mets Rivalry, what r u people talking about.