Bronx Subway Series Delivers Four Critical Takeaways for Both Clubs

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball’s scheduling proved fortuitous, placing the Subway Series during the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Following an emotional pregame ceremony before Friday’s opener, the somber mood quickly gave way to competition.

When the Yankee Stadium PA announcer introduced Juan Soto batting second in left field, the crowd of over 40,000 responded with furious boos, treating the former Yankee as a traitor.

And just like that, the series was underway.

(Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The Yankees (86-63) find themselves in a crucial stretch, chasing the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL East title. Meanwhile, the Mets enter with nothing at stake in another disappointing season, yet they had no qualms about disrupting New York’s hopes.

Ultimately, the Bronx Bombers won two of three, but remain four games behind the Rays. The Mets, surging since the trade deadline, displayed promising signs of their future potential throughout the hard-fought weekend.

Here are the four key takeaways from this memorable Subway Series in the Bronx.

1. Gerrit Cole’s Home Run Woes Persist

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The Yankees ace may soon hand the torch to Cam Schlittler after another underwhelming performance. Cole managed just 4 ⅓ innings Saturday against a Mets squad fighting only to avoid last place. Worse, the veteran right-hander has surrendered seven home runs over his last 11 ⅓ innings, and his whiff rate has dropped significantly.

Cole’s 24.6% strikeout rate marks his lowest since 2017 with the Pirates (23.1%), while his 4.2% home run rate ties his career high for a full season. With Schlittler, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon all performing well down the stretch, Cole emerges as the most troubling presence in the Yankees’ starting rotation.

“A straightforward observation is that the hitters are seeing the ball well and able to deliver good strikes to it, regardless of the pitch type or really the location,” Cole explained when asked about his long-ball struggles. “This is one of those times in the season where you gotta start making adjustments. Sometimes adjustments are hard, but that’s the demand of the game.”

Despite a 5.96 ERA over his previous four outings (22.2 innings), Cole has enjoyed a solid season following Tommy John surgery. The 36-year-old owns a 3.67 ERA with 117 strikeouts across 20 starts and 115 ⅓ innings—his highest workload since 2023. In that context, fatigue seems a logical explanation, though Cole insists he feels healthy and merely needs to refine his approach between starts. Yankees manager Aaron Boone echoed this sentiment, stating Cole is the last person he worries about.

Still, with only two weeks remaining in the regular season, this represents the worst possible moment for Cole to falter. General manager Brian Cashman did not acquire a single pitcher—starter or reliever—at the trade deadline, partly due to his confidence in veterans like Cole. The 2023 Cy Young winner must reverse this trend immediately, as relying on the bullpen after shortened outings is not a viable postseason strategy.

2. Yankees’ Unstable Bullpen Raises Concerns

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Right-hander Paul Blackburn, who recently earned Boone’s trust, has cooled lately. He loaded the bases and allowed a run in the seventh inning Friday before the manager turned to left-hander Brent Headrick for the final out. Headrick, one of New York’s few reliable high-leverage options, promptly replicated Blackburn’s struggles by loading the bases with one out in the eighth.

The Yankees had no alternative but to summon closer David Bednar for a five-out save against a Mets team that stands as arguably baseball’s most disappointing club. Bednar allowed a leadoff home run to A.J. Ewing in the ninth, cutting the lead to two runs, but ultimately secured the victory. He enters the finale with a 2.66 ERA and 34 saves in 59 appearances. The remainder of the relief corps, however, carries significant uncertainty.

Even in victory, the Yankees’ leads never felt secure given the bullpen’s volatility and shortage of dependable high-leverage arms. Right-hander Fernando Cruz, Boone’s primary setup man, landed on the injured list with a partial UCL tear at the end of August. While trending toward avoiding surgery, his return this season remains unlikely.

Help approaches, however. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt nears a return from a second Tommy John surgery and could join the club during their next road trip. Left-hander Ryan Weathers (left forearm flexor strain) is also expected back before the season concludes. Both are likely to shift into bullpen roles in October, leaving the Yankees to hope for a smooth transition that eases their relief concerns.

3. Thornton Emerges as a Promising Young Mets Arm

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

One of the game’s premier hitters stepped up to the plate, and Mets starter Zac Thornton did not flinch. In the first inning, facing Aaron Judge down 0-2, Thornton challenged the reigning AL MVP with a 95.5 mph fastball up and in—the hardest pitch of his season. Judge froze, watching the heater sail by for strike three.

The Mets rookie southpaw sustained that intensity throughout Saturday’s dominant 12-2 victory. Thornton delivered seven strong innings, permitting just two earned runs on five hits while striking out four and walking one on only 81 pitches. The Yankees took note of the 24-year-old’s talent.

“He does a really good job of maintaining a quick tempo, attacking different parts of the zone, keeping the guys off balance,” Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones observed. “I think he just did a good job of limiting hard contact and preventing guys from getting on early, and he had a lot of success today.”

When Thornton appeared to tire in the seventh with two men on base, manager Andy Green walked to the mound, but Thornton insisted on remaining. He promptly escaped the inning by inducing Anthony Volpe to ground into a double play.

Saturday marked Thornton’s 13th career start and represented a strong rebound after he allowed six earned runs in five innings against the Giants in his previous outing. “I think I shine when my back’s up against the wall. I try to rise to the occasion,” Thornton said afterward.

Thornton joins emerging young arms Nolan McLean and Christian Scott as promising rotation candidates for next year. Fortunately, because Mets president David Stearns will struggle to find a reliable starter among this winter’s free agents beyond Tarik Skubal. For genuine contention in 2027, Stearns needs the trio of young starters to advance quickly, and Thornton appears ready to meet that challenge.

4. Judge Still Searching for Timing

(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Yankees lineup is grateful the team’s best hitter has returned from the injured list. The improvement in production from the top of the order has been unmistakable.

With Judge’s presence anchoring the heart of the order, surrounding batters have received better pitches to attack, and the Yankees have capitalized. Though the offense showed promise throughout the six-game homestand against the Rockies and Mets, it remains clear that Judge has not yet found his timing.

That’s expected.

Judge returned Tuesday following a three-plus month absence stemming from a fractured right rib. He was completely inactive for most of that period and only recently began facing live pitching. Opting to skip a rehab assignment, Judge returned directly to help the Yankees in their pennant race. Rather than regaining his rhythm in the minors, he is still searching for it in the majors. The Yankees’ plan has involved pulling Judge early from some contests and granting him an off day in others, complicating his adjustment.

The 34-year-old slugger stands 3-for-14 with one walk, one run scored, and six strikeouts across four games since returning. He has yet to record a home run, RBI, or extra-base hit since May. While he still has time to return to form, the Yankees would prefer Judge locate his timing before next week’s crucial four-game series against the Rays in the Bronx.

When asked if he feels stuck in a spring training ramp-up, Judge replied, “I don’t have time for a spring training-type ramp-up. I have to turn it on soon here. And I will.”

Source link