Subway Series ’23: Money can’t buy happiness

This wasn’t the Subway Series anyone imagined at the beginning of the season: the two most expensive teams in baseball, mired in mediocrity, and facing down the trade deadline with the very real possibility of selling everything that isn’t nailed to the floor.

It made sense, then, that the most effusive words about the Subway Series rivalry came from a man who played when both teams were actually good.

“It was special because of the fans, what they bring and the atmosphere of these games,” said Andy Pettitte, who joined the Yankees in a special adviser role this week. “You always wanted to win those, you know, especially early on when the Boss was around. He was definitely hanging around in the locker room when we weren’t winning and giving us a hard time about that. There are great expectations here. We all know that and we try to win every series but these series right here — the Red Sox, the Mets, just the fans when they come out, it’s a little bit of a different atmosphere.”

But though things are more demure this time around, the stakes remain extremely high. These two games in the Bronx stand to be a (very) public display of two teams at a crossroads — hope or irrelevance, with nothing in between.

“I think it’s all an opportunity,” Aaron Boone said. “Obviously, we’re getting down to the final couple months of the season, so these games are important and obviously, there’ll be a lot of eyes on this with the Mets being here. I’m sure it’ll be exciting and a little buzz and hopefully we can continue to rack up some wins.”

Pivotally, it’ll be a chance for the Yankees to show that their sweep of the woeful Royals was actually the start of something good, especially with Aaron Judge’s imminent return from the injured list. For the Mets, who entered the day seven games out of the final wild card spot with four teams in front of them, it’s either a goodbye tour for some of their more valuable trade chips, or a last stand in a crumbling attempt to salvage something from this disastrous season.

“We just need to play good baseball, no matter what,” Max Scherzer said — minutes after telling the assembled media that he wouldn’t be fielding any questions about a possible trade (Scherzer has a full no-trade clause). “Obviously, the Yankees are a great team but to be great, you’ve got to beat great teams. This is major-league baseball.”

Scherzer might’ve been overselling the Yankees a bit.

Going into Tuesday’s game, they were 53-47 and 2.5 games out of the final wild card spot. They’ve been showing signs of life, though – their offense heating up and their always-reliable bullpen shutting things down when it matters. They scored 18 runs over three games against the Royals, who have the second-worst ERA in the American League.

“Results do a lot for your psyche and for that confidence hopefully,” Boone said. “We’re starting to see some guys move the needle in a good direction to where they’re getting back to what they’re capable of.”

It does say a lot, though, that instead of waxing poetic about rivalries, both managers spoke about trying to get a toe-hold on a season that’s often felt out of control.

Things are more dire on the Mets side of things, as they’re coming off a split in Boston, with players consistently being asked about the possibility of being moved ahead of Aug. 1. A few good days is unlikely to change that reality, though Buck Showalter tried his hand at optimism.

“I’ve always thought that privately – even at a point in a game [that the Mets were a good stretch away from turning things around], Showalter said. “You always hope that it starts there. It’s got to start somewhere. It’s got to be consistent. There’s got to be more than one phase of the game. Everybody said, ‘Oh, the starting pitching. Oh, the bullpen. Oh, the hitting.’ You’ve got to put it all together. Some nights, it’s not always aesthetically pleasing and perfect but the other parts of the game pick up a deficiency, and we haven’t had that as much as we’ve needed to.”

Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.