MIAMI — Carlos Mendoza heard from his old boss following Luis Severino’s recent comments about the Yankees.
The Mets manager wasn’t about to divulge what Yankees manager Aaron Boone conveyed to him in a text message, but seemed amused by the entire episode as his team prepared to face the Marlins on Saturday.
A day earlier, Severino said he responded to taunts by former Yankees teammates in a group chat by saying: “Right now you only have two good hitters,” referring to Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
The Mets will play two games at Yankee Stadium beginning on Tuesday and Mendoza is savvy enough to know Severino’s comments have become a storyline that may persist through the Subway Series.
“I know, obviously, the way it came out, but look: I know that lineup,” said Mendoza, a former Yankees coach. “I know those guys well and that is a deep lineup there.”
Severino said his former teammates in The Bronx have “talked s–t“ about him being afraid to face the Yankees.
The right-hander didn’t pitch in the Subway Series last month as Mendoza opted for two left-handers, and the manager is opting for a similar approach this week, with Jose Quintana and Sean Manaea scheduled to face the Yankees.
“I’m not afraid of those guys,” Severino said, before adding his remark about the Yankees having only two good hitters.
Severino also added: “For some reason the Yankees are not too good against lefties this year. You only have to walk Judge and after that it will be better.”
Severino spent nine years with the Yankees before arriving to the Mets last offseason.
“It’s just boys giving a hard time to each other I guess,” Mendoza said.