"This is getting ridiculous" "They really trying to be us" - Yankees fans rip into New York Mets as team linked with move for another former player
After a 2023 season that turned out to be a colossal dissapointment, the New York Mets had their offseason work cut out for them. However, as we surpass the midway point of the offseason, that strategy seems to revolve largely around players from a certain team.
Recently, news broke that the Mets are interested in inking relief pitcher Wandy Peralta. Peralta, 32, played for the Yankees from 2021 until 2023, when he declared free agency. If the deal is made, Peralta will not be the first ex-Yankee to make his Mets debut in 2024.
"The Mets have been connected to free agent Wandy Peralta, per @SNYtv" - Talkin' Yanks
Even though the New York Yankees' 2023 record was not much better than the Mets, fans of the Bronx Bombers have delighted in lambasting their National League counterparts. According to many Yankees fans, the Mets are trying to "copy" their own team.
On December 1, the New York Mets signed starter Luis Severino to a one-year deal worth $13 million. Severino played for the Yankees for eight seasons, amassing a 3.79 ERA across 141 appearances.
Additionally, the Mets also inked former Yankee Harrison Bader to a one-year contract earlier this offseason. Bader, a native of the Bronx, played for the Yankees from 2022 until 2023, when he was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds.
As if the Bronx-based influence was not already strong enough on the Mets, the team has also been linked to starter Jordan Montgomery. Montgomery was a member of the Yankees from 2017 until 2023, when he was traded to the Cardinals, and subsequently the Texas Rangers, with whom he won the World Series last November.
Is there a method to the madness for the New York Mets?
Before pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto inked his $325 million deal with the Dodgers, both New York teams reportedly offered the NPB star $300 million. After both were snubbed, observers have claimed that a bidding war was spurred between the two teams.
Last year, the New York Mets were the highest-spending team in MLB. However, they still finished with the eighth-worst record in the league, and had to trade two top pitchers. With president of baseball operations David Stearns working in tandem with billionaire owner Steve Cohen, it is hard to tell what the front office is feeling. However, based on recent trends, the Mets are certainly taking a liking to past members of the Yankees.