The annual Subway Series between the New York Yankees and New York Mets has always had the makings of something special — city pride, dueling fanbases, and no shortage of star power. But this year’s Rivalry Weekend took the simmering tension and turned it into a boil.
The Bronx and Queens have never exactly been close friends, but there was at least a veneer of mutual respect between the two clubs — until Juan Soto shattered it.
After helping the Yankees to the 2024 World Series, Soto shocked the baseball world by signing a 15-year, $765 million megadeal with the Mets this past offseason. The move lit a powder keg in the Bronx. Whether fans labeled it betrayal or business, it was impossible to ignore what it meant: Soto, still in his prime, had swapped pinstripes for blue and orange.
His return to Yankee Stadium on Friday night marked his first appearance in the Bronx since that Fall Classic. And the welcome was anything but warm.
The Bleacher Creatures, known for their roll call and raucous energy, made a clear statement by turning their backs when Soto took his place in right field. The message was loud and unmistakable. Boos rained down with enough force to be heard across the East River, and every Soto plate appearance felt like a grudge match.
Game 1: Welcome Back? Bronx Turns Its Back on Soto
The Yankees set the tone early on Friday with a 6-2 win, feeding off the electric, hostile atmosphere. Carlos Rodón earned his fifth win of the season, tossing 5.0 innings of two-hit, one-run ball while striking out five and working around four walks. He continued a dominant stretch, now 4-0 with a 1.72 ERA over his last six starts. The Yankees’ rotation as a whole has been a force, posting a 2.88 ERA across the last 29 games.
The offense backed Rodón early. Paul Goldschmidt drove in the first two runs of the game on a go-ahead RBI single in the third, and added another RBI single in fourth inning, continuing to mash with runners in scoring position — now hitting .444 in such situations. Cody Bellinger recorded his second three-hit game of the season, extending his hitting streak to 11 games, while Aaron Judge reached base three times and scored twice, continuing his MVP-caliber pace. Judge reached base for the 100th time of the season in this game. His 100 times on base in this game tied Mickey Mantle for the third-most by a Yankee through the first 44 games of a season, trailing only Babe Ruth (108TOB in 1923 and 102TOB in 1930).
Anthony Volpe added a sac fly, and Jasson Domínguez chipped in an RBI during a two-run fourth inning. Though no Yankee went deep, they tagged Mets starter Tylor Megill for four earned runs in just 2.2 innings — his shortest start since June 2023.
The Yankees’ bullpen was stellar. Jonathan Loáisiga made his season debut with a scoreless sixth, Mark Leiter Jr. added a shutdown seventh, and Luke Weaver earned his fifth save by retiring the only batter he faced: Juan Soto. “For now, he’s a friendly enemy, but in the box, he’s going to be the enemy,” Weaver told reporters during Spring Training when asked about Soto’s departure. Mets bats couldn’t break through, managing just five hits and leaving nine on base. Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo each drove in a run, but the Mets couldn’t find traction.
Game 2: Schmidt Sharp, Bullpen Blip Breaks the Deadlock
Saturday’s contest saw the Mets squeak past the Yankees 3-2 to even the Subway Series. Clarke Schmidt delivered his third consecutive quality start, allowing just two runs over six innings, but it wasn’t enough. DJ LeMahieu and Cody Bellinger each homered to give the Yankees a pair of leads, but New York’s bullpen couldn’t hold off a late Mets rally.
Griffin Canning continued to be a pillar in the Mets rotation, allowing just two runs, both solo home runs, over 5.1 innings in his ninth strong start of the year. Francisco Lindor’s go-ahead sac fly in the top of the ninth off Fernando Cruz proved decisive. Pete Alonso also contributed an RBI single earlier in the game, while Edwin Díaz shut the door in the bottom of the ninth for his 10th save. The Yankees stranded nine runners in front of another sellout crowd of 47,510.
Game 3: Trio of Plan Bs turning into undeniable As As Fried Shines, Bellinger Booms, Williams Holds Steady
Sunday night at Yankee Stadium felt less like a regular-season rubber match and more like a Broadway finale — fitting, considering the drama that has swirled around the Subway Series since Juan Soto swapped boroughs. While Mets fans touted their $765 million man, it was three of the Yankees’ Plan B acquisitions — Max Fried, Cody Bellinger, and Devin Williams — who stole the spotlight and secured an 8-2 win to take the series.
Max Fried continued his dazzling start to the season, tossing six innings of three-hit, two-run ball while striking out eight. Though he didn’t factor into the decision, Fried’s outing kept the Yankees in control and lowered his ERA to a minuscule 1.29 — the second-lowest by a Yankee through their first 10 starts in franchise history. He has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in every one of his starts this season, a model of consistency and poise under pressure.
Devin Williams, another offseason addition, took over in the eighth with the game tied and delivered a scoreless inning to earn his second win of the year. It was yet another clutch outing for the former NL Reliever of the Year, who has now posted a scoreless frame in eight of his last nine appearances.
But the night — and maybe the series — belonged to Cody Bellinger. After driving in two runs with a double in the first, Bellinger came to the plate in the eighth with the bases loaded and two outs. With Juan Soto positioned in right field, Bellinger turned on the first pitch he saw from Genesis Cabrera and launched a grand slam into the Bronx night, sending 48,000 fans into a frenzy. The ball sailed directly over Soto’s head — a poetic punctuation mark on a weekend full of Bronx bitterness. It was Bellinger’s ninth career grand slam and tied a career-high with six RBIs on the night. He reached base five times and extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Bellinger was 7-for-11 in the series with two home runs and seven RBIs. In his last 19 games, he has hit .444/.500/.889.
Final Word & What’s Next
With the 8-2 victory, the Yankees claimed their fourth straight series win and improved to a season-high-tying eight games over .500. For fans still feeling stung by Soto’s departure, the sight of Fried dealing, Williams slamming the door, and Bellinger delivering the final, emphatic blow was the sweetest symphony of all — a trio of Plan Bs turning into undeniable As.
The Yankees now kick off a three-game set at home against the Texas Rangers before hitting the road for a challenging West Coast swing. Next weekend features visits to Colorado and Anaheim, culminating in a highly anticipated rematch with the Dodgers — their first meeting since last year’s World Series.
