With the Mets coming off a recent trip to the World Series in 2015, and the Yankees falling just one game shy of the Fall Classic this past season, both teams are in prime position to make a deep Postseason run in 2018. With both teams bursting at the seams with young talent, the Mets and Yankees are both poised to make waves this upcoming season, with a strong possibility that the two young powerhouses could meet in the World Series.
With both New York teams recently experiencing the most success they’ve had in recent memory, it finally seems like these crosstown rivals could be setting up for a meeting next fall. After years of stagnation and postseason teasers, both teams’ windows are wide open and the two teams finally look to have all of their pieces in place in order to make a serious run at a World Series title.
In the Bronx, the Yankees are led by a young core of promising stars such as All-Star Catcher Gary Sanchez, Cy Young Award Runner-Up Luis Severino, and of course, their Rookie of the Year, Aaron Judge. By coupling these young stars with veteran presences such as Shortstop Didi Gregorius, and New Jersey native Todd Frazier, the Yankees have created a culture in their clubhouse that allows the team to grow and succeed as a potential powerhouse for years to come. However, the Yankees long-term plan for success was enacted earlier than expected, as the team mustered enough pure grit and raw talent while on the way to a stellar run to a Game Seven matchup with the eventual World Champions, the Houston Astros. Any doubts that fans reserved regarding the future success of the Yankees have been revoked. Their elite combination of incredibly promising young talent, as well as experienced leadership across the entire field, sets the stage for an immediate, crystal clear stab at a World Series championship.
Meanwhile, in Queens, the Mets are an incredibly qualified diamond in the rough, disguised as an absolute mess. By hiring new manager, Mickey Callaway, the Mets have returned to putting an emphasis on pitching, by turning the focal point to young star pitchers including All-Stars Jacob Degrom and Noah Syndergaard. In addition to their proven stars, the Mets have more powerful, young arms waiting in the wings as Steven Matz, Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo and plenty others look to make a claim in what will prove to be a pivotal bounce-back year for the Mets. On top of their deadly starting pitching core, the Mets’ bullpen is a force to be reckoned with as Jerry Blevins, A.J. Ramos, and Jeurys Familia have all proven to be lights out over the course of their respective careers.
However, the Mets’ pitching core is not their only strength, as a talented lineup featuring All-Star Outfielders Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto will look to power the Mets to another World Series bid, just as they did in 2015. Along with veteran presence in the outfield, the Mets’ infield is made up primarily with ripe young talent. Amed Rosario and Wilmer Flores have proven to be a deadly combination at the middle infield positions, while rookie First Baseman Dominic Smith will look to have a breakout 2018 season and serve as a power bat in the middle of the lineup.
Both the Mets and Yankees are lined to the brim with young talented players across their rosters, and General Managers Sandy Alderson and Brian Cashman have never been shy when it comes to opening their wallets in order to snag the best possible players on the Free Agent market. The stage is set for both the Mets and Yankees to succeed, and we just might see both these soon-to-be powerhouses in the World Series together as soon as next season.