NEW YORK − On the night that Juan Soto returned to r Yankee Stadium as a member of the rival Mets, it was the Yankees’ replacements for the superstar who stole the spotlight.
The Yankees ripped past Tylor Megill and Max Kranick for six runs between the third and fourth innings to claim a 6-2 victory over the Mets in the Subway Series opener in front of a sold-out crowd of 47,700 fans on Friday night at Citi Field.
Cody Bellinger was 3-for-5 with two runs and a double, while Paul Goldschmidt supplied two hits, two RBI and a run in the Yankees victory, which moved them to 26-18 on the season.
On the heels of their second shutout loss of the season, the Mets only mustered two runs on five hits, with Brandon Nimmo supplying the opening run on an RBI single in the fourth inning. Francisco Lindor knocked an opposite-field double down the third-base line in the top of the ninth inning.
Soto made the final out with a pair of runners in scoring position, sending a fly ball to center field against Yankees closer Luke Weaver.
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In his return, Soto made an impression but not a big enough mark to help the Mets past his former team as he heard boos and chants all night from the crowd in the Bronx. Soto finished 0-for-1 with three walks, a stolen base and the Mets’ lone run.
The Yankees, meanwhile, stacked up six hits in the third and fourth innings and capitalized on a Francisco Lindor throwing error to take the advantage that they carried throughout the night.
Juan Soto flies out to end ninth-inning threat
The Yankees appeared to be looking to avoid using Weaver, but Yerry De Los Santos could not close the door in the ninth.
He walked Francisco Alvarez and pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil before Francisco Lindor found a gap down the third-base line for an RBI double.
That set the stage for Weaver vs. Soto. Weaver induced a fly ball to center field from Soto to end the game.
Devin Williams wins rematch with Pete Alonso, strikes out side
Maybe Devin Williams needed to exorcise some demons and can now return to his elite closer form.
Williams entered in the eighth inning with a five-run advantage and turned in his most effective outing as a member of the Yankees.
It began with a rematch against Pete Alonso, who had taken the former Brewers closer deep to seal the National League Wild Card Series last October. On Friday, Williams froze Alonso on a 94.8 mph fastball on the outside corner.
Williams then struck out both Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo to complete a perfect frame on 14 pitches.
It was Williams’ seventh clean outing in his last eight appearances.
Carlos Rodon in line for fifth win
It might have been Carlos Rodon’s shortest outing of the season, but the left-hander did enough to get himself in line for his fifth win of the season.
Rodon worked through three innings without allowing a hit then dug in when the Mets put the pressure on in the fourth inning. Despite the Mets collecting two hits and two walks in the inning, Rodon only surrendered one earned run. He induced a fly ball from Luisangel Acuña for the final out with the bases loaded.
He allowed one more walk in the fifth inning but finished with one earned run allowed on two hits and four walks with five strikeouts in five innings.
Paul Goldschmidt, Jasson Dominguez extend Yankees’ lead
The top of the Yankees lineup continued to put pressure on the Mets’ pitching staff in the early innings.
In the bottom of the fourth inning against Max Kranick, Aaron Judge laced a single left field and then Cody Bellinger looped his third hit of the night — a double — down the right-field line.
Those one-out hits set the table for a Paul Goldschmidt RBI single and an RBI fielder’s choice from Jasson Dominguez on a ball deep to the right side of the infield. In the process, the Yankees opened up a 6-1 lead through four innings.
Brandon Nimmo supplies first Mets run
Rodon cruised through the Mets lineup the first time through, only allowing one walk to Soto in the first inning and throwing 45 pitches in three innings.
But he ran into his first trouble in the fourth inning as he walked Soto again and then gave up back-to-back one-out singles to Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo. The Mets left fielder cut his team’s deficit to 4-1 on an opposite-field single that slipped out of reach of Oswald Peraza.
The Mets loaded the bases but Acuña flew out to right field to end the threat.
Tylor Megill’s shaky command leads to early exit
Through the first full month of the season, Tylor Megill had pitched effectively by pitching to contact, limiting opposing baserunners and cutting down on walks. Through the month of April, Megill had a sterling 1.74 ERA.
But the wayward control returned for Megill in the Subway Series opener on Friday night.
Megill could not get through the third inning as he allowed four earned runs on five walks and three hits.
All of the damage against Megill came in the third inning as he walked four batters, including a bases-loaded free pass to Peraza. A pair of singles and a walk with one out loaded the bases and an infield single by Paul Goldschmidt and throwing error by Francisco Lindor allowed the first two runs to cross.
Anthony Volpe added a sacrifice fly and Megill’s day ended in a 39-pitch third inning after he walked Peraza. The Mets was replaced by Max Kranick.
Juan Soto gets icy reception in first inning
If Soto was on the field doing anything on Friday night, he was hearing a response from the Yankee faithful.
When Soto emerged to stretch before the game, the boos came pouring down. That reaction was only interrupted when Aaron Judge jogged out of the home dugout.
When the 26-year-old stepped toward home plate for the first time as a member of the Mets, the crowd rose to its feet and delivered the loudest jeer of the night. Soto smiled and tipped his batting helmet as he entered the batter’s box.
Soto was the first Mets batter to reach base, drawing a walk off Rodon and then stealing second base. He was left stranded there following back-to-back outs. And then he was front and center in front of the Bleacher Creatures in right field, some turning their backs as Soto took his place in right field as a member of the rivals.
Worst of rain is gone
After a mid-afternoon deluge in the metropolitan area, the brunt of the rain appears to be out of the way for the Subway Series opener.
According to AccuWeather, there is only a minor chance of misty precipitation at game time.
The forecast is calling for a high temperature of 68 degrees.
Follow along for updates as the Mets and Yankees square off for the first time in 2025 on Friday night in the Bronx
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