Inside The Pinstripes

Subway Rivalry Heats Up as Mets Poach Another Yankees Pitcher

The New York Mets have picked up another relief pitcher from the New York Yankees' latest batch of free agents, and fans are duking it out on social media.
Erin Shapland|
Oct 3, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver (30) throws the ball during workouts at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Oct 3, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; New York Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver (30) throws the ball during workouts at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have had a slow offseason so far, but their crosstown rival New York Mets have been very busy. Off to a strong start losing some of their stars in Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, the Mets have now picked up two relief pitchers who are fresh off a season with the Yankees, marking a concerning trend that fans of both teams are eager to argue about.

The loss of Juan Soto in 2024 clearly hit a lasting nerve with Yankee fans, and he's cited as the first domino to fall in a list that includes Clay Holmes, and now Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. Once Weaver headed across town, Yankees commentator Michael Kay suggested that the Mets' choice to acquire so many Yankees looks weird.

“Even Met fans would have to admit it’s an odd look, man,” Kay said on the Michael Kay Show. “You’re putting teams together with guys that the Yankees didn’t want anymore, except for Soto. The Yankees didn’t want Clay Holmes back, they didn’t want Devin Williams back.”

New York Yankees pitcher Devin Williams
Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Devin Williams (38) pitches during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

“Luke Weaver lost a closer role last year and didn’t pitch well. He did not pitch nearly as well as he did the year before. So maybe the Yankees in their internal discussions said to themselves, ‘We got everything that we could get out of Luke Weaver.’”

Seriously girl, we're just worried about you.

Rivalry Heating Up Over the Winter

Fans on Twitter have begun clowning on the Mets for this lack of originality, pouring oil on a fire that has been burning since the loss of Soto. One fan posted a video of a dog jumping up and down delightedly with the caption, "The Mets front office every time they see a Yankee enter free agency."

Mets fans, in response, have pointed out that the Yankees signed Amed Rosario for 2026, an infield utility player who played for the Yankees most recently, the Washington Nationals before that, the Cincinnati Reds before that, the Los Angeles Dodgers in separate stints, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Indians, and back in 2017-2020 played for the Mets. But enough about that.

The Yankees haven't made any splash moves so far this offseason, with their eyes still on outfielder Cody Bellinger and starting pitchers like Tatsuya Imai and Michael King as their likeliest additions that might make fans excited. In the meantime, it seems fans are content to bully the Mets while we wait for something good to happen to us.

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Erin Shapland
ERIN SHAPLAND

Erin covers the New York Yankees for On SI, reporting on all aspects of the championship chase that comes with a storied franchise. A fan of all storylines, who's looking to bring the latest news and updates to one of professional sports' greatest fanbases.

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