This weekend, the New York Mets and New York Yankees will square off in the first installment of the 2024 Subway Series. After seeing Tomas Nido with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field over the weekend, the Mets will get another chance to meet J.D. Davis, an old friend.
The Oakland Athletics traded Davis to the Yankees on Sunday, just as the organization revealed that Giancarlo Stanton will be placed on the injured list. Davis failed to make the cut in Oakland. After being DFA’d by the San Francisco Giants during the preseason, he moved across the Bay to the Athletics, where he hit.236/.304/.366 in 135 plate appearances.
This year’s regular at first base for the Athletics, the Yankees may be searching for more than a designated hitter while Stanton is out. Davis, who made 17 starts at first base for the A’s, is also expected to replace Anthony Rizzo. Davis famously chastised the Mets last season for how they employed him, only to see his numbers drop shortly after.
Former Mets have been up to a lot the last several days.
Davis and Nido finding new homes is far from the most recent ex-Mets news. Max Scherzer was reinstated from the IL on Sunday, only days after the Mets faced the Texas Rangers. In his start against the Kansas City Royals, he threw five shutout innings with one hit.
Daniel Vogelbach, who was equally popular and despised, left the Toronto Blue Jays last week. In just 79 plate appearances, he batted.186/.278/.300 with one home run. Kind Canadians faced many of the same issues that Mets fans did with Vogey. He has yet to play first base since joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022.
For those who have been following the Mets for a while, Steven Matz has suffered a setback in his rehab and will be out for another 4-6 weeks. St. Louis Cardinals fans may not mind. Despite pitching successfully for them last season in a limited 105 innings as a starter and reliever, this season has been similar to 2022. Matz is 1-2 with a 6.18 ERA in six starts for a Cardinals squad that has showed far more tenacity than when he was in the rotation.
The Mets will not have to worry about Scherzer, Vogelbach, or Matz having an instant effect. Davis, on the other hand, appears poised to start at least one game against the Mets in his Yankees debut. Will the story end with him vengefully smacking the Mets, or will the Mets pitchers fly fastballs past him?
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