Has there ever been a playoff Subway Series? Full history of Yankees-Mets rivalry

It is that time yet again. Since winning it all in 2009, the Yankees have punched a ticket to the World Series. For Yankee fans, it has been 15 grueling, endless, egregious, excruciating years of waiting for a shot at number 28.

For all Yankeedom, a decade without a trophy is inexcusable. Without a playoff run last year, it was expected that this year would be more of the same. That’s when one man rose to the occasion and lifted the disappointment from the hearts of all the downtrodden Yankee faithful. That man of course would be Juan Soto, who valiantly took to the number two spot in the order batting ahead of the powerful Judge.

But let’s also not forget Brian Cashman, the bringer of Juan Soto and, as Yankee fans hope, the re-signer of Juan Soto. But first things first. There is still a World Series to win.

While Yankee fans are happy to see the return of the World Series to the Bronx, fans on the Queens side of the city are mourning the fall of their team at the hands of the mighty Dodgers. But for the New Yorkers who were ready for a Subway World Series, rather than dreaming of what might have been, let’s take a step back in time and recall what was.

The Mayor’s Trophy Game

Before the creation of interleague play in 1997, the Yankees and Mets only faced off in spring training and in-season exhibition games known as the Mayor’s Trophy Game. The Mayor’s Trophy Games were originally between the New York Yankees and the New York Giants starting in 1946. The Brooklyn Dodgers entered the mix in 1951. These games were played as a benefit to promote sandlot ball in NYC.

After both the Dodgers and Giants left for California, three Mayor’s Trophy Games were played involving the Yankees, one each against both the former New York teams, and one against the Milwaukee Braves. Then the Mets came about in 1963. The Mayor’s Trophy Game was revived and lasted from 1963 to 1979 and then again from 1982 to 1983.

The Subway Series graces the fall classic

It wasn’t long after interleague play began when the Mets and the Yankees faced off in the World Series. In 2000, the Yankees were at the climax of an amazing dynasty. Led by Joe Torre, they had won the title in 1996, then two years straight in 1998 and 1999. That year, they were looking to add one more.

The Yankees boasted a team featuring Roger Clemens, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill, Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, Bernie Williams, former Mets star Dwight Gooden, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, and David Justice among others. But the Mets also boasted a championship caliber team with the likes of Edgardo Alfonso, Al Leiter, Mike Hampton, Mike Piazza, and Robin Ventura.

It was a tense time between the two teams. In the regular season, Roger Clemens had thrown a fastball that landed off the helmet of Mike Piazza, a pitch that would force the star catcher to spend time on the DL.

To start the World Series, the Yankees eked out a victory over the Mets in what was a 12-inning nailbiter. The Yankees won 4-3 on a Jose Vizcaino walk off single.

It was in game two when the rivalry would once more turn into a heated pressure cooker. Clemens faced Piazza for the first time since the hit by pitch. Piazza splintered his bat on a foul ball. The head of the bat came careening towards Clemens, who fielded cleanly in his glove on a bounce, then turned and fired it in Piazza’s direction as he jogged down the line, bouncing off the ground and narrowly missing him. Clemens actions sparked a bench clearing. The Yankee ace could be seen arguing that he thought it was the ball. Clemens, whether or not he did it intentionally, was fined $50,000 for the incident.

The Yankees led that game 6-0 until the Mets scored five in the ninth. But again, the Yankees narrowly eked out a victory.

In game 3, the Mets remarkably ended the Yankees’ winning streak of World Series games at 14 and El Duque Hernadez’s perfect postseason record with a 4-2 victory. Hernandez would have to settle for a record of 8-1.

However, game 3 would be the highwater mark for the 2000 New York Mets. They would lose the following two games 3-2 and 4-2 in respective order, giving the Yankees three titles in a row. Jeter’s leadoff homer in game 4 became famous and has earned its rightful place in Yankee legend. Game five saw the final World Series game hosted in Shea Stadium. The Yankees would go onto play in and lose World Series matchups in 2001 and 2003 as the dynasty faded.

Today

As we stand on the cusp of another New York World Series and the glow of Grimace magic finishes fading from view now that the NLCS is in the books, the world can only look forward to an epic Dodgers-Yankees matchup.

It's worth noting that there's some great history in that rivalry too. The Yankees and Dodgers have faced each other in the World Series more times than any other two teams. But that 81-year old rivalry is a story for another article.