LOS ANGELES — Carlos Mendoza’s Yankees roots run deep, and those connections start with the team’s manager.
As Aaron Boone’s top lieutenant on the bench for four seasons, after starting in the organization in 2008 as a minor league instructor, Mendoza (who became the Mets manager in November 2023) understood better than anybody the pressure Boone was under to reach the World Series.
And with at least that goal attained — the Yankees clinched the American League pennant Saturday with a Game 5 victory over the Guardians in the ALCS — Mendoza could smile a little for his friend.
“I am proud of him,” Mendoza said before the Mets lost 10-5 to the Dodgers on Sunday in Game 6 of the NLCS. “Since Year 1 when he took over, in 2018, and they won 100 games, [fans] were still calling for his head. It’s not an easy gig, just like any one of us, but I know how hard they had to work to get to this point. It means a lot for them.”
The Mets ultimately fell two victories of setting up the first Subway Series since 2000.
Mendoza had his own battle to wage Sunday, but said he took time in the aftermath of the Yankees’ pennant clincher to communicate with several Yankees players, in addition to team officials and staff.
He wouldn’t say with whom specifically he communicated, but there were “five or six members of the starting lineup,” among them.
Mendoza said he received similar congratulatory messages when the Mets won clinching games against the Brewers and Phillies this postseason.
Edwin Diaz said he watched the Yankees’ clincher in his hotel room with his family and was excited for the Mets’ city rival.
“It was really fun to see that homer by [Juan] Soto in the 10th inning and then the celebrating on the field was pretty fun,” Diaz said.
But Diaz was also hoping the Mets would take the next step to transform the World Series into something truly special for New York.
Diaz did his part Sunday by throwing two scoreless innings, but the Mets allowed 10 runs in the Dodgers’ other six offensive innings.
“It would be really electric,” Diaz said pregame of a potential Subway Series. “We have been playing in the [regular season] Subway Series for a long time, but we haven’t been in the World Series together since 2000. To be a part of that, if we got the chance, it would be great for me and for all the fans.”
Instead, it will be Yankees-Dodgers in the World Series for the first time since 1981.
Mendoza was asked if he sensed Boone was pulling for a Subway Series.
“I think he’s proud to get to the World Series and now whoever it is, it is,” Mendoza said.