Subway series full of crosstown connections

As a popular pun from the New York Timessome connections in this subway series are obvious and others are unclear.

Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza will try to outsmart his old club when New York faces the cross-town rival Yankees at Citi Field beginning Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET. He is one of many players and coaches who once wore the opposing team’s uniform.

For former Yankees, the Mets have Harrison Bader, Luis Torrens And Adam OttavinoThe Yanks counter with ex-Met relief pitchers Phil Bickford And Michael Tonkinwho played for the Mets this season.

It is a shame that Luis Severino And Marcus Stroman are not scheduled to play as pitchers in the series. And perhaps fitting that the Mets have the numbers of Dwight Gooden And Darryl Strawberry this year. Join Casey StengelNaturally.

Former Mets captain Luis Rojas Third coach for the Yanks. The Mets employ hitting coach Eric Chavez (a Yankee from 2011-2012) and First Base Coach Anthony Richardsonwho stole five bases for the Yankees in 2014.

And just before the start of the series, the Yankees JD Davis (37 home runs with the Mets from 2019-2022) on Sunday and signed the left-hander Chasen Shreve (two wins in two bullpen appearances with the Mets in 2020 and 2022) to a minor league contract on Monday.

For the record, as far as my research department could tell, Grimace never threw the first pitch for the Yankees. They had Jason Grimsley in the bullpen in 1999–2000.

Have fun with the Subway series!