By Eddie Castro
The 2026 Major League Baseball season kicked off last week with many expectations once again for both the Yankees and Mets. The Mets are looking to take a few steps forward after taking a huge step back last year as the team struggled in the second half last year and missed the playoffs. The Mets began the season at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates while the Yankees were out west in the beautiful stadium of Oracle Park for a three-game set against the Giants.

If you are a Mets fan, their performance during the first three-game series is a very encouraging sign. The team was able to knock out opposing Ace pitcher Paul Skenes in the first inning of the game collecting five runs on four hits with two walks. It was the shortest outing for the 2025 National League Cy Young award winner in his career. The Mets offense showed poise and patience against Skenes. The second game of the series showed Pirates Pitcher Mitch Keller and Mets pitcher David Peterson go pitch for pitch.

With a 2-1 lead in the 11th inning, newly outfielder Luis Robert Jr. Made sure he properly introduced himself to the fans of Queens connecting on a game-winning walk-off three-run homer to seal Game 2. The Mets would drop the third game of the series by a score of 4-3. As we go to press, the Mets have already taken the first game of their new three-game set against the Cardinals. The team is currently locked in a four-way tie for first place in the National League East Division with a win-loss record of 3-1

If there were one concern the Yankees had going into the season, it was whether their starting pitching and bullpen would hold up. Because there are a few off days in the schedule, Yankees Manager Aaron Boone decided to go with a four-man pitching rotation leaving potential fifth starter Luis Gil to start the season in Triple A. The Yankees left San Francisco with a three-game sweep of the Giants highlighted by tremendous performances by Max Fried and Cam Schlittler. Both pitchers were sharper than a No.2 pencil in their first starts of the year. As we go to press, in four games, both the starting pitching and the bullpen have started strong giving up just 3 runs, two by the starters and one by the bullpen.

The bullpen is a more surprising stat considering out of the 24 returning players that came back with the Yankees, the two players that did leave were bullpen arms in Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. It is also important to point out that the rotation is subject to change with the incoming returns of Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, both of whom are expected to return by late May or early June.

The offense has also raised some eyes brows with their timely hitting and run production that has not come by via the home run. In four games played, the Yankees have hit just three home runs, two by Aaron Judge and one by Giancarlo Stanton. Although the season is still young, it is a great sign for both the Yankees and Mets to make a statement not only to their respective divisions, but to the entire league in general. We’ll see if both teams can continue to build on their hot starts.

Sports Notes: (Baseball) The Mets head to the West Coast to begin a four-game set against the San Francisco Giants tonight. After beginning the season with a six-game road trip, the Yankees finally return to the Bronx for their home opener on Friday afternoon against the Miami Marlins.