Put it this manner, even when the Mets simply had nearly as good a do-over day because the Yankees did: The Yankees nonetheless had a a lot better Commerce Deadline than a yr in the past, when in the event that they’d introduced in higher reinforcements — even in a lesser market than this one — they could have gained their first World Sequence since 2009. Which typically looks like 1909 to Yankee followers.
The Yankees have picked up a 3rd baseman in Ryan McMahon, after having gone by way of greater than 100 video games with out one. They’ve added different infield depth in Amed Rosario, and extra importantly with Jose Caballero, who they could have to play shortstop — and frequently — if Anthony Volpe doesn’t cease turning routine performs right into a theme park trip.
They’ve added righthanded energy in Austin Slater, although how a lot pop that really means towards lefthanded pitchers stays to be seen. I noticed headlines once they made the deal for him that described him as being a “lefty masher.” Wait….what? Slater’s been within the large leagues for 9 years and has a complete of 30 dwelling runs towards lefties.
Maybe the most important transfer of all, although, for the Yankees may be getting David Bednar, as soon as a premier energy nearer with the Pirates. Bednar may solely be in regards to the fifth-best aid pitcher dealt up to now 24 hours, however could possibly be the brand new Yankee nearer in a couple of week if Devin Williams continues to pitch the ninth the way in which he did towards the Rays on Wednesday night time, throwing one other fats pitch and giving up one other lead. And making you imagine he nonetheless hasn’t exorcised all his demons from when Pete Alonso ended his season and the Brewers’ season final October.
With out query, the Yankee bullpen bought higher by mid-afternoon, first with Bednar then with Jake Chicken, lastly Camilo Doval. You possibly can see how determined Brian Cashman was to jot down a second draft for this staff. Is all of it sufficient? We’re about to search out out. Can the Yankees catch the Blue Jays and draw back from the Purple Sox and steal one other American League East title the way in which they did final yr? Certain. The Blue Jays, as all of us simply noticed, seemed like world beaters proper up till they didn’t towards the Orioles, who would have swept a four-game sequence if not for a blown ball-strike name when the Orioles had the bases loaded within the eighth inning on Wednesday.
And over in Queens, the place the Mets nonetheless have the perfect report on the town? David Stearns simply took his personal large swings, for each pitching and hitting. The Mets bullpen undoubtedly improved as soon as he did, and by rather a lot, first with Tyler Rogers after which with Ryan Helsley’s large arm, even in case you had been hoping they’d get another arm after them. Generally you get the concept that Carlos Mendoza’s starters are much less prone to go deep into video games than Aaron Boone’s are, which is saying lots.
However maybe the Mets offense, which wasn’t too shabby to start with, simply improved as considerably because the bullpen did, due to Cedric Mullins, the Orioles centerfielder who may be one of the crucial dynamic gamers on the town over the remainder of the summer season and into the autumn. Let’s face it: The Mets wanted a centerfielder as a lot because the Yankees did a 3rd baseman.
The Mets positive did have holes to fill at this deadline. The Yankees had extra, and never simply with their pitching workers. What McMahon and Rosario and Slater have unquestionably finished is improve the down-roster of the 2025 New York Yankees, largely as a result of there wasn’t a lot down-roster till now. Now we see if there was sufficient enchancment to Cashman’s flawed first draft that the Yankees gained’t have one other awful month between now and the top of the common season just like the one they did simply have; the type they appear to have yr after yr after yr.The Yankees walked away with a sub-standard AL East a yr in the past, then had been gifted with a gap playoff sequence towards the Royals. And when the Guardians ended up outlasting the Tigers of their division sequence, the Yankees managed to keep away from a Tigers staff that had been one of many hottest in baseball over the past two months of the common season, one as scorching because the Mets had been over the identical stretch.
Are the Yankees going to be a harder out now than they had been with Juan Soto? They’re going to get the possibility to show that. However the Tigers are higher this years. The Mariners are higher. The Astros are higher than they had been in ‘24, regardless of all their accidents, and get even higher now that they convey again Carlos Correa, and purchase Jesus Sanchez from the Marlins.
Over within the NL East, the Phillies’ Dave Dombrowski by no means sits out the sort of motion like we now have gotten over the previous few days, not with the Mets proper there. So he provides one of many star closers in play, Jhoan Duran from the Twins, and Harrison Bader, as soon as a complete October star for the Yankees.
Proper now, at the moment, I nonetheless suppose the Mets are a greater guess for October than the Yankees, and a greater present. Nonetheless: Each groups are going to get a full shot to complete in first place, then go from there. Each groups did get good aid pitchers even when different groups — Padres, particularly — bought higher ones. McMahon has an opportunity to be a stable two-way participant for the Yankees the remainder of the way in which. Mullins is a fair higher participant, even happening reminiscence.
In so some ways, this was as busy a Commerce Deadline, for each New York groups, as we’ve seen in a very long time and possibly ever. Now we discover out if the Mets and Yankees did sufficient to make this yr higher than final yr. Thursday was enjoyable. The large enjoyable begins at the moment.
Initially Revealed: July 31, 2025 at 6:06 PM EDT
