In the final chapter of the Subway Series, the New York Yankees faced their crosstown rivals, the Mets.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, the game ended in disappointment, as the Mets cruised to a decisive 3-2 victory. Much of the postgame criticism was directed at Yankees infielder J.D. Davis, whose on-field performance left fans frustrated and elated on social media.
Controversial lineup choices
It took a double-take after the Yankees shared their starting lineup for Tuesday night’s game against the Mets on social media just hours before first pitch. Jahmai Jones was batting leadoff, J.D. Davis was batting fourth, and Carlos Narvaez, the Yankees’ third catcher promoted after Jose Trevino’s injury, was making his first career MLB start. The post went viral, and Yankees fans were not happy.
Manager Aaron Boone defended the changes during his pregame news conference. With left-hander Jose Quintana on the mound for the Mets, Boone wanted to give his left-handed hitters a day off and open up the lineup. He believed Jones could provide a spark at the top of the order despite his limited playing time. Boone also expressed confidence in Davis, who hadn’t played since July 4, stating that Davis would be a “presence” in the middle of the order.
JD Davis’s struggles at the plate
The lineup shakeup backfired in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Mets. Those three hitters went a combined 0 for 8 with six strikeouts.
J.D. Davis, in particular, struggled mightily. He went 0-for-3 at the plate, leaving several runners stranded in scoring positions and unable to score at critical moments. His defensive errors also proved costly, contributing to the Mets’ scoring opportunities and ultimately hurting the Yankees’ chances of mounting a comeback. He was pulled three times immediately after a walk by third hitter Aaron Judge, ending the inning in each plate appearance. J.D. Davis struck out in the first, grounded into a double play in the third, and struck out again in the fifth.
Fan reactions
Fans took to X.com and other platforms to voice their displeasure with JD Davis’ performance. Comments ranged from questions about his place in the lineup to calls for roster changes. “Davis needs to step up or retire,” one fan tweeted. Another wrote, “We can’t afford these mistakes in crucial games. Time for a radical change.”
Despite the criticism, the Yankees will need to regroup and focus on their upcoming games. For Davis, the challenge will be bouncing back from this performance and regaining the trust of both his teammates and fans. The Yankees, who now face increasing pressure to perform as the season progresses, will need to regroup and focus on their upcoming games. For Davis, the challenge will be bouncing back from this performance and regaining the trust of both his teammates and fans.
Missed opportunities proved to be the difference for the Yankees. It wasn’t just the three aforementioned players who failed at key moments. The Yankees went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving 11 runners on base. With a chance to tie the game or even win it in the bottom of the ninth, Aaron Judge struck out and Ben Rice (who entered the game in place of Davis in the seventh) grounded out to second to end the game.
Until next time
As the Subway Series continues, all eyes will be on the Yankees to see how they respond to this setback and if Davis can turn things around. Looking ahead, the Yankees will face the Mets again on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. on ESPN. Gerrit Cole (3-1, 4.60 ERA) will start against Sean Manaea (6-4, 3.73 ERA).
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