Subway Series Full of Crosstown Connections

Like a popular New York Times word game, some connections in this Subway Series are obvious and others are obscure.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza will try to outwit his old club when New York faces the crosstown rival Yankees starting Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET at Citi Field. He is one of many players and coaches who once wore the uniform of the opposing team.

For former Yanks, the Mets have Harrison Bader, Luis Torrens and Adam Ottavino. The Yanks counter with ex-Met relievers Phil Bickford and Michael Tonkin, who had stints in the Mets’ organization this season.

It is a shame that Luis Severino and Marcus Stroman aren’t scheduled to pitch in the series. And perhaps fitting that the Mets retired the numbers of Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry this year. Joining Casey Stengel, of course.

Former Mets skipper Luis Rojas coaches third for the Yanks. The Mets employ hitting coach Eric Chávez (a Yankee from 2011-2012) and first base coach Antoan Richardson, who stole five bases for the Yankees in 2014.

And just ahead of the series, the Yankees picked up J.D. Davis (37 homers with the Mets from 2019-2022) on Sunday and signed lefty Chasen Shreve (two wins in two bullpen stints with the Mets in 2020 and 2022) to a minor-league deal on Monday.

For the record, Grimace, as far as my research department could tell, never threw out the first pitch for the Yankees. They did have Jason Grimsley in the bullpen in 1999-2000.

Enjoy the Subway Series!

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