Michael Kay acts like a real little brother patronizing New Yorkers for liking baseball

New York Yankees longtime broadcaster Michael Kay had a pointed message for Yankees fans this postseason. During a recent episode of The Michael Kay Show, Kay expressed frustration with Yankees fans who have been rooting for their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets, in the playoffs.

“Is fandom different now? Why are you rooting for the Mets if you're a Yankees fan? Are you out of your minds?” Kay questioned his co-hosts, Don LaGreca and Peter Rosenberg.

Kay highlighted how Yankees fans were infuriated when the Mets swept them in this year’s Subway Series, yet some now find themselves cheering for the Mets. The dynamic between the two New York teams has always been contentious, with the Yankees often considered the 'big brother' due to their star-studded history and 27 World Series titles. However, the bitterness between the fanbases has softened over the years, especially since the Yankees and Mets face different playoff opponents, making it easier for some Yankees fans to root for the Mets in the postseason.

“I guess it’s a younger crowd thing,” LaGreca noted. “They don’t know a world in which the Mets mattered much… so if you’re of a certain age, it doesn’t matter.”

Why are New Yorkers rooting for the Mets and Yankees?

Historically, the Mets rank lower on the list of teams Yankees fans despise, trailing behind top rivals like the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox. But recently, the Mets have become more likable to some. After the 2024 MLB All-Star break, the Mets were 11.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies with just a 42.7 percent chance of making the playoffs. However, thanks to a combination of lucky charms, from the resurgence of the McDonald’s character Grimace to José Iglesias’s song “OMG,” the Mets clinched a playoff spot on the final day of the season.

Their magic continued in the Wild-Card round, where Pete Alonso smashed a dramatic three-run home run in the ninth inning to send the Mets to the NLDS for the first time since 2015. The Mets have become the ultimate underdog story, making themselves one of the most exciting teams to watch this postseason.

As they return to Queens for more playoff action, it’s no wonder some Yankees fans are getting behind the Mets’ Cinderella run. Even in a rivalry, it seems New York fans just want to see a New York team succeed.