The Mets have been out of the race for too long to make the latest Subway Series mean anything to them other than as a chance to expose their young players to the atmosphere.
On the other hand, the Yankees still harbor hopes of catching the Red Sox in the AL East and, if that doesn’t work out, secure one of the two AL wild-card spots.
Still, there seems to be something left outside the baselines when it comes to the Subway Series, which debuted in 1997 but lost a lot of luster after the teams met in the 2000 World Series.
“I don’t think so. I think there will be a ton of excitement in both stadiums,’’ Joe Girardi said about whether the Mets being down removes some of the juice from the Subway Series, which starts Monday with two games in The Bronx followed by two games at Citi Field. “They are really important games for us. I am sure the Mets consider them really important for them. Obviously in the standings it’s really important for us.’’
The Yankees — 5 ¹/₂ games behind the Red Sox after Sunday night’s 3-2, 10-innings loss — will recall Luis Cessa to start Monday’s game. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 4.38 ERA in nine games (0-3, 6.23 ERA in four starts) in the big leagues this season.
The Mets, whose postseason aspirations vanished around St. Paddy’s Day, will start Rafael Montero.
For the Mets, they will get to see how shortstop Amed Rosario and first baseman Dominic Smith react to the biggest stage they have seen since being promoted recently from Triple-A Las Vegas.
“When you have young players like we have, if you play at this level, you get exposed to the Yankees-Mets rivalry in that city, you will get a lot out of it,’’ said Terry Collins, who might be getting his last taste of the Subway Series. “You will learn a lot. You will learn about the intensity of Mets fans and New York fans in general. I think it’s important for these young guys to be a part of it.”
And because Girardi isn’t signed beyond this season, there is a chance this is his final Subway Series experience.
Since the start of interleague play, the Yankees hold a 32-22 edge over the Mets in The Bronx, where the Mets have won three of the 20 series between the teams and there have been eight ties. That was the case last year, when each team went 1-1 at home.
For the Yankees, the four tilts follow three dates with the blood-rival Red Sox and precedes three more with the Sox. And those six games are much more important to the Yankees’ postseason chances than four with the Mets.
“It’s a longer rivalry and the importance in the division plays a big part of that rivalry,’’ Girardi said of Yankees-Red Sox. “But usually you are not in rivalry week for 10 days, that usually doesn’t happen but we somehow found a way to do it this year.’’
The Yankees hosted the Red Sox for three games, play four with the Mets and go to Fenway Park for three next weekend.
David Robertson missed a lot of about New York when he left for the White Sox as a free agent after the 2014 season. And, he had a special spot for the Subway Series.
“I loved the Subway Series, always enjoyed it because the fans in New York love it,’’ said Robertson, who got a taste of the Cubs-White Sox rivalry. “Even if either team isn’t in the playoff hunt, it still makes for a great atmosphere. It’s always fun to play in those games.’’
Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson has been part of it from both sides and, as a free agent, recognizes this might be his finale.
“This could be the last chance I get to be in it like this,’’ Granderson said. “That atmosphere should be lively and intense. I wouldn’t expect anything else.’’
Todd Frazier attended one Subway Series game at Shea Stadium when he was growing up in Toms River, N.J., and this will be his first taste as a player.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun. I did it with Chicago, but it’s totally different. Still, we weren’t in the playoffs and it was a packed house. I experienced a lot of different things. It’s pretty cool I got to be part of that,’’ Frazier said. “But this is going to be a little different just because it’s New York. There’s nothing better than New York. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere.”
Collins obviously hasn’t been locked into Aaron Judge’s recent struggles at the plate.
“I salute him and hope he falls into a huge slump starting [Monday],’’ Collins said of Judge, who entered Sunday hitting .165 (16-for-97) with 46 strikeouts since July 14.
— additional reporting by Howie Kussoy and Mike Puma