Yankees make loud statement with win over Mets, Juan Soto in first Subway Series battle

Juan Soto predicted it would be 50,000 against one on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. 

He was only slightly off — maybe 42,700 to 5,000 — but in a battle of first-place clubs, the only ratio that ultimately mattered was 6-2. 

As in Yankees 6, Mets 2. 

Soto returned to deafening boos in The Bronx and responded by walking three times, but the bats the Yankees got to help replace him in the lineup keyed a win over the Mets in the first installation of the Subway Series in front of a sellout crowd of 47,700. 

“I was ready for it,” Soto said. “They’re really passionate fans and they’re hurt. They’re going to do the best for their team, and they just feel that way.” 

Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt, brought in as part of the Yankees’ pivot once Soto chose the Mets’ $765 million over their $760 million, combined for five hits, three runs and two RBIs to lead a patient offensive attack.

And of course, Aaron Judge was Aaron Judge, going 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs to raise his average to .414. 

“That was really fun to be a part of,” said Bellinger, who went 3-for-5 and came a few feet short of adding a homer. “It was loud, the stadium was full. Really any Friday night at Yankee Stadium so far has been really fun to be a part of, but this was just full of energy.” 

Soto saw 29 pitches across his five plate appearances and reached three times, but only came around to score once.

He did come to the plate in the top of the ninth with two runners on, but the Yankees brought on Luke Weaver, who got him to fly out to end it. 

As he walked to the plate for his first at-bat in the top of the first inning, Soto was met with an avalanche of boos that rivaled those reserved for Jose Altuve around these parts.

After Soto and catcher Austin Wells exchanged pleasantries, the slugger doffed his helmet to the heavy chorus of anger, with a smile on his face. 

When Soto ran out to right field for the bottom of the first, most of the Bleacher Creatures had their backs turned to him.

And though he eventually saluted the crowd there, too, he was again met with boos and chants of “F–k Juan Soto.” 

“It was a pretty great environment,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It was certainly one of those nights where you could really feel the energy in the building.” 

There were later chants of “We want Grisham” — the reverse of what was heard here last June when Trent Grisham was at the plate and Soto on the bench — “Overrated,” and of course more boos. 

But it only served as a sideshow to the seventh Yankees win in their past nine games and their first win over the Mets (28-17) since 2023, after getting swept in four games last year. 

“We want to win as many games as we can against every opponent,” said Goldschmidt, who also made a terrific over-the-shoulder catch down the first base line in the fifth inning. “Good win, and they’re a really good team. They’ve been playing great. It’ll be a good challenge the next couple days as well.” 

The Yankees (26-18) took a 4-0 lead off Tylor Megill in the bottom of the third with just two balls leaving the infield.

The only hit that left the infield came from Jorbit Vivas, who led off with a single to right field.

One out later, Judge walked before Bellinger hit a cue shot to third base and hustled down the line for an infield single. 

Goldschmidt came up next and hit a broken-bat, infield single up the middle. Francisco Lindor got to the ball and made a late throw to first, but Pete Alonso’s scoop attempt flipped the ball into no-man’s land, allowing a second run to score. 

After Jasson Domínguez walked to load the bases, Anthony Volpe hit a sacrifice fly to relatively shallow right field, with the Yankees testing Soto’s arm and Bellinger beating his three-hop throw to the plate. 

Megill had to throw 39 pitches in the inning, faced nine batters and still only got two outs.

By the time the right-hander walked Oswald Peraza to force in a run with the bases loaded to make it 4-0, Carlos Mendoza finally pulled the plug and relieved Megill with Max Kranick. 

The Mets got one of those runs back in the top of the fourth off Carlos Rodón in a rally started by Soto, who came in to score on Brandon Nimmo’s liner down the left field line.

But that was all they got against Rodón — who was solid, if not his sharpest, across five innings of one-run ball. 

“I was trying to get [Soto] to swing and miss every time,” said Rodón, who walked Soto all three times. “I wanted to get him. But he got me.”