For the first time since their 2000 World Series matchup, the New York Mets and New York Yankees have made it to their respective league championship series. The Mets return to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) for the first time since 2015, while the Yankees return to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) for the first time since 2022.
To reach this point, The Mets and Yankees had to battle through the best-of-five division series, which kicked off on Oct. 5.
The Mets traveled to Philadelphia to face the National League East Division Champion Phillies, marking the first-ever postseason showdown between the two teams. The Mets hoped to knock out the World Series Favorites and advance to the League Championship.
This did not come easy for the Mets. In Game One, they had to face Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, backed by a rowdy Philadelphia crowd. Despite a leadoff home run from the Phillies and seven shutout innings from Wheeler, the Mets rallied to score five runs in the eighth, leading them to a 6-2 victory to take a 1-0 series lead. Following a heartbreaking walk-off loss in Game Two, the Mets returned home to Citi Field with the series tied at one apiece.
The Mets bounced back in Game Three, scoring seven runs behind pitcher Sean Manaea, who threw seven innings of one-run ball. This means the Mets are one win away from returning to the NLCS for the first time since 2015.
Game Four had a frustrating start for the Mets. They could not capitalize with runners in scoring position, leaving the bases loaded in both the first and second innings. The Phillies took a 1-0 lead when Vientos could not handle a dribbler from Alec Bohm, scoring Bryce Harper from third base. This lead held until the bottom of the sixth inning. The Mets loaded the bases for the third time, forcing the Phillies to put in their closer, Carlos Estévez, to shut them down. The Mets’ star player, Francisco Lindor, stepped up to the plate and sent a ball high and deep to center field for a go-ahead grand slam on the fourth pitch of the at-bat. With a final score of 4-1, the Mets defeated the Phillies 3-1 in the Division Series to advance to the NLCS.
Meanwhile, fresh off a first-round bye, the American League’s top-seeded Yankees hosted the Kansas City Royals in the Bronx. Game One was a back-and-forth battle, with five lead changes in a single postseason game, a major league record. Ultimately, the Yankees outlasted the Royals to take Game One. However, momentum shifted in Game Two, as a four-run fourth inning was all the Royals needed to win 4-2 and tie the series at one.
The series moved to Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, the first postseason game since 2015. Game Three was tied at two going into the eighth, where Giancarlo Stanton blasted a home run 417 feet for a go-ahead solo home run. The final score was 3-2, putting the Yankees just one win away from their second ALCS in the last three years.
The Yankees took an early lead in Game Four from a run-batted-in (RBI) single from Juan Soto. Two more RBI singles from Gleyber Torres and Stanton in the top of the fifth and sixth innings gave the Yankees much-needed insurance. Although the Royals attempted a rally in the sixth, they were only able to score one run. Yankees closer Luke Weaver shut down the Royals in the ninth to secure the 3-1 victory, sending the Yankees to yet another American League Championship Series.
The Mets will go on to face the winner of the Padres/Dodgers series, and the winner of the Guardians/Tigers series will meet the Yankees in the Bronx. The Mets and Yankees are both four wins away from facing each other in the World Series for the second time in history.
