Merely seven days prior, the initial Subway Series of the year seemed poised to be quite dull, or at worst, a decisive defeat.
The New York Yankees, boasting the top record in the American League, were soaring after securing yet another series victory. Aaron Judge was on an impressive streak. Ben Rice presented himself as a potential MVP contender. A revolving cast of impact players consistently delivered strong starting performances. Even the lower part of the batting order appeared to be overcoming a slow beginning. Inquiring with a Yankee player about their squad would elicit widened eyes and a knowing smile.
Conversely, the New York Mets were in a state of disarray. As of May 8, the Mets stood at 14-23, sharing the bottom spot across all of baseball. Their batting order was a regrettable display, an unsightly mix of underachieving young players and veteran athletes past their prime. It was, naturally, compounded by the fact that several injury-prone components around which New York had constructed its lineup were, indeed, sidelined. Even the contributions of Juan Soto and a significantly improved defense weren’t sufficient to offset the Mets’ offensive struggles.
The situation was so dire, and the fan base so agitated, that president of baseball operations David Stearns felt compelled to publicly confirm that he had no intention of dismissing manager Carlos Mendoza. In some respects, the Mets were adhering to their strategy, but in reality, they had no alternative courses of action.
What an astonishing turnaround a mere seven days can bring.
Suddenly, the Mets are exultant, energized by a triumphant home sweep of the Detroit Tigers. Their cross-town rivals, on the other hand, have now dropped five of their last six contests and trail the leading Tampa Bay Rays by two games in the AL East.
These recent developments elevate the allure of this upcoming weekend. A sweep by the Yankees would restore momentum to their strong start while simultaneously plunging the Mets back into despair. A sweep by the Mets, however, would signal a definitive resurgence, heightening anxiety in The Bronx.
For the Yankees, given their consistent roster, many familiar faces from previous Subway Series remain. It’s a different narrative for the Mets, who revamped half their roster last offseason. As always, the players will dictate the outcome of the series, so let’s examine five individuals who are certain to influence the proceedings.
Juan Soto — Mets outfielder
Does anyone recall Juan Soto spending a full season as a Yankee? The spirited pinstripe-clad fans certainly do. And even though this weekend’s contest will be held at Citi Field, the Yankee supporters will undoubtedly be present in considerable numbers and vocally.
The player himself has had an unusual start to the current campaign. He began scorching hot, in typical Soto fashion, but landed on the injured list with a calf strain on April 6. During his absence, the Mets nearly collapsed. However, while the team has shown improvement since his return on April 22, Soto himself has managed a rather ordinary .221/.333/.412 slash line across 81 plate appearances. He exited Wednesday’s game early after a foul ball struck his ankle, but he started and hit a home run on Thursday.
With Bo Bichette still entangled in a prolonged slump and numerous Mets regulars on the injured list, the burden will once again rest on Soto’s amply compensated shoulders. He has, on countless occasions throughout his career, risen to the occasion.
Cam Schlittler — Yankees starting pitcher
New York’s 25-year-old towering pitcher has been the season’s most significant pitching revelation. Through nine starts, Schlittler boasts a 1.35 ERA over 53 1/3 innings, averaging more than a strikeout per inning. Crucially, he has filled a critical early-season vacancy for the Yankees, who are still awaiting Gerrit Cole’s return and only recently welcomed Carlos Rodón off the injured list. The team is also monitoring Max Fried after he exited Wednesday’s start prematurely due to elbow discomfort. Schlittler was a sensation last season, culminating his rookie year with an unforgettable dominant performance against the Red Sox in the wild-card round. Yet, this athlete has somehow improved even further; there’s a genuine possibility he could start the All-Star Game.
However, because Schlittler made his debut after both Subway Series matchups in 2025, he has yet to pitch against the Mets. Schlittler, a highly confident individual and an occasional instigator, will undoubtedly thrive on the intensity of a road game in Queens. He is destined to be a prominent figure in this rivalry for years to come, suggesting his start Friday night could mark the beginning of a notable era.
Carson Benge — Mets outfielder
This will also mark the first Subway Series appearance for Benge, a rookie who joined the major league squad directly from spring training a few months ago. Despite being considered the club’s top hitting prospect by consensus, the 23-year-old began quite slowly after hitting a home run on Opening Day. Throughout those difficulties, neither Benge nor the Mets’ management wavered. Benge persevered, and the club continued to field the talented young player.
That decision has already yielded rewards. Since April 23, the product of Oklahoma State has been one of New York’s top batters, maintaining a .333/.375/.875 line over 64 plate appearances. Such is often the case with rookies. Even the most gifted players require an adjustment period to adapt to major league pitching. But when it clicks, the impact can be substantial. This appears to be what has happened with Benge, who was recently moved into the leadoff position.
This individual wasn’t even expected to be here.
Volpe, who served as the Yankee’s everyday shortstop for the previous three seasons, was assigned to Triple-A Scranton on May 3 following the completion of a rehabilitation assignment for offseason shoulder surgery. However, the 25-year-old’s stint as an official minor leaguer lasted less than two weeks, as he was recalled earlier this week when his replacement, José Caballero, was placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured finger.
The former highly-touted prospect and lifelong Yankee fan made no significant impact in his first game back, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout on Wednesday. Yet, with the Yankees heading to Queens for three crucial games, he has a genuine opportunity to reorient his season. Mets fans will certainly make their disapproval known to Volpe; his struggles are fodder for their taunts. But a strong weekend performance against a major rival would provide a much-needed confidence boost to a player in desperate need of one.
A.J. Ewing — Mets centerfielder
Indeed, a new burst of energy!
Ewing has provided a much-needed revitalization in the three games since his MLB debut on Tuesday. The former fourth-round draft pick isn’t expected to single-handedly reverse the Mets’ season, though it certainly felt that way at certain moments during the Detroit series. This is because the 21-year-old Ohio native’s playing style embodies qualities that the Mets have significantly lacked.
He is an electrifying player, a dynamic force, a high-energy catalyst who creates opportunities with his speed. Ewing stole 70 bases in the minors last season and has already recorded one (along with a triple) in his brief major league tenure. With Luis Robert Jr. on the injured list with an uncertain return timeline, Ewing appears poised to become New York’s everyday center fielder. For the impartial observer, this is excellent news. This young talent is thrilling, a classic contact-and-speed type who sprays the ball across the diamond. Ewing has already endeared himself to the Mets faithful with an impactful initial series, but could achieve meteoric status with a few crucial hits against the Yankees.
Ben Rice — Yankees first baseman
This marks Aaron Judge’s ninth complete season in pinstripes. He has consistently been New York’s top offensive performer throughout this period. However, in each season, Judge has been accompanied by a different primary offensive partner. There was a year for Gleyber Torres, one for Gary Sanchez, another for DJ LeMahieu, and, of course, that season with Juan Soto. This current season, that pivotal role is being filled by Rice, whose offensive explosion has become one of the most compelling narratives in the sport.
Across 39 games, the former Dartmouth standout has slugged 13 home runs and driven in 29 runs with a league-leading 1.079 OPS. The underlying statistical data substantiates the legitimacy of Rice’s offensive surge. It appears authentic, indeed very much so.
However, Rice missed four games last week due to a bruised hand, though the injury wasn’t severe enough to warrant an injured list stint. In his six starts since rejoining the lineup, the first baseman has recorded only 3 hits in 24 at-bats, with just two walks and nine strikeouts, marking easily his poorest mini-slump of the season. Rice did hit a home run in the series opener Monday against Baltimore, but it’s worth monitoring the situation to confirm if he has genuinely returned to full health.
