Coming into this similar place on the baseball calendar one yr in the past, the Mets had a report of 61-54 and have been eight video games behind the Phillies within the Nationwide League East. Going into their present sequence in opposition to the Brewers in Milwaukee, the Mets’ won-loss report was two video games higher than it was final yr, at 63-52, and the Mets have been 2.5 video games behind the Phillies. In order that they have been higher off within the standings. It simply doesn’t really feel that means the way in which they’ve regarded — and made their followers really feel — recently.
One yr in the past, similar level within the season, the Yankees have been 20 video games over .500 and tied with the Orioles on the prime of the AL East. Heading into this weekend, they have been at 61-54, in third place, nearer to being out of the highest 3 within the wild card standings than they have been to the Blue Jays. They don’t simply look worse off than they have been in August of 2024. They give the impression of being loads worse off.
We all the time hear that the baseball season is a marathon and never a dash. You’ve heard that, proper? Not now. The Yankees and Mets each have a dash now to the end line of the common season, seven weeks after Sunday, 44 video games for each our groups. We’re about to seek out out if that’s sufficient time for them to seek out their means again to wanting just like the groups they have been earlier on this season, and alter what has turn out to be such a dreary, dog-day narrative within the month of August.
“This is not good,” Francisco Lindor mentioned. “This is not good at all. But it’s adversity that we all have to go through at some point in the year.”
And so you already know? Lindor, the Mets chief, didn’t say that after the Mets had misplaced 5 of six for the reason that commerce deadline and practically obtained no-hit by the Guardians on Wednesday afternoon. He mentioned that after they’d misplaced seven in a row in June.
It’s straightforward to place this all on a simple goal like Juan Soto, whose first season as a Met has been a disappointment that typically feels as massive as his wage. Put me down as any individual who thought he would roll by means of the second half of the season. Nonetheless hasn’t occurred. I identified the opposite day that by means of Wednesday’s video games Soto had three extra RBI than Anthony Volpe for the season. Soto has not hit the way in which he did on the opposite aspect of city. He has not hit within the clutch. The Yankees have been higher once they nonetheless had him hitting in entrance of Aaron Decide. The Mets are just about the identical staff they have been a yr in the past even with Soto now hitting between Lindor and Pete Alonso.
Is it simply Soto? Come on. The Mets don’t pitch properly sufficient, the way in which the Yankees don’t pitch properly sufficient. The Mets starters don’t pitch lengthy sufficient into video games. Neither do Yankee starters. A lot has been made from how quick Clay Holmes’ begins are on this season when he has been reworked from a reliever to a beginning pitcher. Coming into the weekend, Holmes had made 23 begins, and pitched a complete of 122.1 innings. It doesn’t appear to be loads. However Carlos Rodon, one of many Yankees’ big-ticket starters, has made yet another begin than Holmes and pitched a grand complete of 17 extra innings. There wasn’t a Yankee fan on the planet shocked to see Aaron Boone come get him within the sixth inning of the Yankee-Rangers recreation.
You understand why each Brian Cashman and David Stearns have been scrambling the way in which they did to get bullpen assist on the deadline? Due to their starters. It’s the similar means over the remainder of baseball, for certain. However native baseball followers have seen this film earlier than, particularly with the Yankees, who by no means ever have sufficient pitching and by no means appear to develop very a lot, both. In so some ways, the final pitcher constructed to final developed by the Yankee farm system was Andy Pettitte.
Stearns hasn’t been on the town very lengthy. Cashman has been round without end. He obtained a really dangerous break when Gerrit Cole, his biggest-ticket starter, was misplaced for the season to Tommy John surgical procedure. That occurred in March. However in so some ways, the Yankees nonetheless haven’t recovered from that blow. However all people has pitching accidents, are you kidding? Out in Los Angeles, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki have a mixed complete of 21 begins to far this season. Rodon alone has made three greater than that.
The underside line right here is that these rotations, and these bullpens, didn’t assemble themselves. The way in which the rosters for each the Yankees and Mets, value greater than $600 million, didn’t assemble themselves. The remainder of this common season, either side of city, isn’t only a referendum on the gamers. It’s a referendum on the 2 males who not solely put them on the sector, however thought they might win all of it with them.
Ought to each the Yankees and Mets make the playoffs? They need to. The Yankees particularly simply have to one way or the other get sizzling over the following month, earlier than they arrive at a spot of their schedule on the finish of September that appears softer than smooth ice cream: Twins, Orioles, White Sox, Orioles. Can each the Yankees and Mets nonetheless find yourself in first place on Sept. 28? Positive.
However does Soto have to select it up, beginning proper now? You guess. So, too, does Lindor. Each of them arrived in Milwaukee with the very same batting common, .249. And as a lot of a pressure as Alonso has been knocking in runs — he got here into the weekend solely three behind Kyle Schwarber for the main league lead, Alonso’s common over the 30 video games earlier than Mets-Brewers was .185. His common during the last 15 was .193. Solely during the last week or so, even with the Mets in a free fall, has the Polar Bear regarded as if he is likely to be popping out of a slumber that noticed his personal batting common drop to .264.
Loads has to occur for each New York groups to get issues rotated. The blokes on the prime of Carlos Mendoza’s batting order can’t repair all the things all by themselves. However it will be good, beginning proper now, if the Huge 3 may begin Huge 3-ing once more, earlier than the Mets are nearer to the Reds within the wild card race than they’re to the Phillies within the race that issues within the East.
The Mets got here into Milwaukee 10 video games underneath .500 for the reason that center of June. The Yankees got here residence for Outdated Timers’ Weekend 10 video games underneath .500 for the reason that center of June. Two groups that thought they have been headed for the World Sequence this season have performed slob ball like that. Exhausting to observe and even more durable to fathom typically.
There’s nonetheless this obsession round right here with George Steinbrenner: What would George do? A greater query come October is likely to be this: What is going to Steve Cohen and Hal Steinbrenner do if their baseball groups don’t make it to October?
A LOT OF SPUPID GOING AROUND, LOOK OUT FOR THE KID FROM SLEEPY HOLLOW & NFL’S GETTING SALTY …
OK, it’s beginning to look as if that is greater than a gradual begin with Devin Williams.
Perhaps Cashman can get extra closers on the subsequent commerce deadline.
Oh, wait.
Males who throw intercourse toys on the courtroom throughout WNBA video games aren’t being intelligent or humorous.
They’re appearing like bottom-feeders.
And punks.
And individuals who suppose they’re being intelligent or humorous, even encouraging them to maintain doing it, aren’t any higher.
All of them simply appear to be they’ve crossed over the bridge from Stupidville.
However then there’s a variety of that occurring as of late, isn’t there?
It was terrific final Sunday watching the Sleepy Hole child, Cameron Younger, not solely win his first match on the PGA Tour, however win it going away.
He has a world of expertise, solely simply turned 28, already has contended twice in majors (PGA, British Open).
Look out for him the remainder of the way in which.
I hope he finally ends up on the Ryder Cup staff at Bethpage Black subsequent month, the identical course the place he gained the Met PGA’s New York State Open when he was 17.
Once more: Mets report beginning the weekend was 63-52.
Payroll of $339 million.
Brewers report was 70-44.
Payroll? $113 million.
I imply, provided that you’re holding rating at residence.
Don Mattingly, nice Yankee, performed 14 seasons within the massive leagues and by no means made it to the World Sequence.
Aaron Decide, even better Yankee, is in his tenth season within the massive leagues.
Decide has made it to the Sequence as soon as.
Ben Shelton goes to be the primary American man since Andy Roddick to win a significant, wait and see.
I occurred on Recreation 5 of the Knicks-Warmth sequence from 1999, the day at previous Miami Enviornment when the No. 8 Knicks knocked off Coach Riley’s No. 1 Warmth.
It was the day when Allan Houston went previous Dan Majerle and made the runner that made it 78-77 Knicks with .8 left.
And, man, that shot was one thing to see, all this time later.
So was Terry Porter doing all the things however bake a cake in .8 earlier than getting off a shot for the Warmth that might have gained the sport and the sequence.
I texted Jeff Van Gundy about that after watching the ending, and obtained this response:
“I had a near aneurysm! [Referee] Ed Rush trying to tell me Porter got it off in time.”
You understand what else was actually cool about watching it once more?
Listening to my late good friend Invoice Walton on the decision for NBC.
I can apparently name off the prayer vigil now that NFL gamers are allowed to maintain utilizing smelling salts.
However provided that they supply the stuff themselves.
Social gathering at Goodell’s home!
Deliver your individual ammonium carbonate!
James Patterson and Mike Lupica’s new Jane Smith thriller, “The Hamptons Lawyer,” stays a New York Instances Finest Vendor in its second week and No. 5 at Publishers Weekly.
Initially Revealed: August 9, 2025 at 9:30 AM EDT
