After half the season, neither the New York Yankees nor the New York Mets have been the same. It’s no secret that Aaron Boone‘s team at one point held a seven-game lead in their division, only to now find themselves in third place. Meanwhile, the Mets are also in an unfavorable position, trailing the Philadelphia Phillies by five games.
At this stage of the season, the chances of reaching the postseason are not guaranteed for either team, though one of them holds a slight edge.
The Yankees have a better chance of reaching the postseason
For this debate, ESPN MLB experts Jeff Passan, Jorge Castillo, Buster Olney, and Jesse Rogers weighed in, comparing the two New York teams and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.
Both Castillo and Rogers, who also expressed being “very concerned” about the Yankees‘ future, pointed to the Mets as the stronger team for the playoffs.
“Don’t count the Mets out. They have a run in them,” Rogers wrote.
For Passan and Olney, the competitiveness of the American League gives the Bronx Bombers a better shot.
“It’s as if the Mets have to run a double marathon and the Yankees are doing a corporate fun run. The Yankees have a better shot of lasting because the challenge is simply not the same,” Olney wrote.
Heavy criticism thrown against New York Yankees
“If the playoffs started today, the Yankees would face a banged-up Houston Astros team – always a tough series, yes, but a winnable one,” Passan wrote in agreement with Olney. “At the end of the day, I believe the Mets are a slightly superior team to the Yankees, but because of the competition in each league, the Yankees’ chance of advancing slightly exceeds that of their crosstown rivals.”
It’s no secret that the National League is far more competitive with teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Milwaukee Brewers, who hold the best record in the majors.
Both teams have little room for error if they want to secure a postseason spot; any slip-up or losing streak could leave them out.
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