The New York Mets are one of the most disappointing teams in baseball.
Despite Steve Cohen laughing in the face of the luxury tax, the Mets are 31-35 through 66 games and 9.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. After a 1-5 road trip, the Mets now return home to host the Yankees in the Subway Series this week.
WFAN’s Evan Roberts of the Audacy Original Podcast “Rico Brogna” explained why the Subway Series could be perfect timing for this struggling Mets team.
“Sometimes the Subway Series, as much as there’s pressure – and there is from the fan-to-fan combat that we have –, sometimes that can turn it all around,” Roberts said (10:00 in player above). “Now I’m not offering this grandiose prediction but I almost look at the Subway Series being right now as perfect timing.
“I think you go into this playing your worst baseball, feeling like it’s rock bottom, and maybe that World Series atmosphere that does come along with the Subway Series … maybe that helps this team turn. Maybe Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander getting – I don’t think it’s a reprieve but to many it is because it’s Mets-Yankees – a chance to have that big moment in a big game. Maybe it does help this team turn things around.”
Scherzer and Verlander have drawn the ire of many Mets fans, including Roberts, who called them “mercenary pieces of crap” just last week. But maybe the bright lights of the Subway Series will unlock something for the aging aces.
Roberts specifically mentioned the 1999 Subway Series as a turning point en route to a National League Championship Series appearance. Steve Phillips fired the pitching, hitting, and bullpen coaches during that early June series against the Yankees.
Sometimes a series with some extra importance behind it can help a team get out of a funk.
“I don’t think the timing of this is all that bad,” Roberts said. “But listen, do I want to be in Citi Field if the Yankees sweep the Mets two straight? It’s going to suck. That’s a tough pill to swallow. But maybe a series like this helps turn it around.”
Scherzer is slated to start against Luis Severino on Tuesday night with Verlander facing off against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole on Wednesday.
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