The New York Mets and New York Yankees might be in different leagues, but their rivalry is huge. The Mets escaped the opener of the second Subway Series of 2025 with a 6-5 win. Stars on both sides showed up, including Juan Soto, who got the Yankees on the board with a home run off of former teammate Marcus Stroman.
However, Jeff McNeil won the game for this squad. He hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning. The cherry on top was when the second baseman bailed Reed Garrett out in the ninth.
Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu took a swing that is a hit 99 times out of 100. However, McNeil refused to give the veteran a hit, diving for the small and corralling it. McNeil threw the Yankee out at first in one of the best defensive plays of the Mets’ season.
McNeil’s efforts in the field and at the plate earned him an ice bath after the game. Garrett and the rest of his Mets teammates doused him in water as they celebrated the win. However, the best moment game when McNeil spoke about the play to reporters. According to him, he was also surprised that he made the play he did against LeMahieu.
“I mean, first part of the play is get a good jump and try to get to the ball,” McNeil said about the play. “I felt like, when that ball hit my glove, I said, ‘oh s**t, it’s in my glove’, and then I throw him out. I know it was a big play because I knew Judge was up fourth that inning and we don’t want him coming to the plate. That’s why I was so excited about that one.”
Defense is not McNeil’s calling card, but it saved the day on Friday. The win brought the Mets a half game away from first place in the National League East. McNeil and New York will try and ride their momentum into the weekend against the Yankees. If they keep winning, the Mets could welcome back their ace and make a push for the top of the NL.
