The New York Mets are riding a wave of momentum as they prepare to host the crosstown rival New York Yankees for the first round of the Subway Series at Citi Field. After a rough start to the season, the Mets (18-25) just notched their first sweep of the year, sweeping the Detroit Tigers in a thrilling three-game set. Meanwhile, the Yankees (27-17) are stumbling into Queens, having lost six of their last eight games.
This Subway Series clash always brings extra energy, and last year's six-game split—where the road team won two out of three in each ballpark—sets the stage for another tight battle. The Mets will look to improve their all-time regular-season record against the Yankees, which currently sits at 69-83.
The sweep over the Tigers was a testament to the Mets' resilience, as they came from behind in all three games. It all started Tuesday with a 10-2 victory, sparked by the electrifying MLB debut of top prospect A.J. Ewing. The young star delivered a triple, three walks, two RBIs, and a stolen base, instantly injecting life into the lineup. After falling behind 2-0, the Mets capitalized on a sloppy Detroit defense, turning errors and misplays into a flurry of runs.
Wednesday's game was a nail-biter. The Mets' offense went quiet early, trailing 2-0 after an outfield misplay by Carson Benge. But Bo Bichette evened the score in the seventh with a clutch RBI hit. Benge then redeemed himself in the tenth inning, driving in Ewing for a walk-off single—the first walk-off hit of his career—to seal a 3-2 win.
The sweep was completed Thursday with another comeback. After falling into a 3-0 hole on a first-inning homer, starter Nolan McLean settled in for a solid outing. The young bats took over from there: Ewing crushed his first career home run, Brett Baty tied the game with a two-run shot, and Juan Soto gave the Mets the lead with a fifth-inning RBI. Mark Vientos added insurance with a two-run homer, and the Mets cruised to a 9-4 victory. The Tigers, already the worst road team in baseball, left town with an eight-game losing streak.
Despite the sweep, the Mets continue to battle the injury bug, adding more challenges to an already tough season. But with the Subway Series on the horizon and a young core finding its groove, there's a renewed sense of optimism in Queens.