The New York Yankees and the New York Mets disappointed last season as they did not make the postseason.
The Yankees' 2023 was abysmal by their standard, as they reached the American League Championship Series the season before.
As for the Mets, they had the highest payroll last season, making their finish a relatively expensive failure.
The Mets are moving on, and they have been making moves. They are signing players to fill the holes that sunk their boat.
Among the major moves they are making is pirating players and staff from their neighbors in the Subway Series.
The team recently fired Buck Showalter and replaced him with Carlos Mendoza, who coached the Yankees from 2018 to 2023.
Mendoza will not feel too lonely at Shea Stadium as another former Yankee, Luis Severino, joins him after signing a $13 million, one-year contract.
Severino is regarded as one of the high-caliber free agents this season.
His signing attracted significant attention as the move hurt some Yankees fans. It's better any team than their rivals.
The two-time All-Star, however, is just one of many players who transferred to their bitter rivals in the historic Subway Series.
Here are the top 5 players to play for both the Yankees and the Mets. The list is based on each player's World Series won while playing in the Subway Series, All-Star appearances, and other achievements.
1. Darryl Strawberry - Mets: 1983-1990, Yankees: 1995-1999
Strawberry was an All-Star during all the years he played for the Mets. However, the reason why he is on top of the list is the fact that he won the World Series for both clubs as a significant contributor.
His first World Series was in 1986 against the Boston Red Sox. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1991-1993) and San Francisco Giants (1995) before moving on to the Yankees.
He spent his last four MLB careers with the Yanks and won more World Series there.
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2. David Cone - Mets: 1987-1992, Yankees 1995-2000
There are players who were exceptional in their first rodeo with any of the two teams, but Cone had the best peak years when he played for both.
He takes the second spot for that reason. He played in at least two All-Star Games while part of the Mets and the Yankees. He also won the World Series five times. One was right after he left the Mets to join the Toronto Blue Jays. His best years were with the Yankees as he won the World Series three straight times from 1998 to 2000.
3. Rickey Henderson - Yankees: 1985-1989, Mets: 1999-2000
Henderson does not have a World Series for either of the Subway Series, but he still managed to carve out a good career for the two New York teams.
He won the World Series twice - one each with the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Henderson played in 10 All-Star Games and won the American League MVP in 1990.
Although his time with the Mets was not that pretty records-wise, the organization still liked him and hired him in 2006 as a special instructor to hitters. He then moved on as an instructor for first base in 2007.
4. Orlando Hernandez - Yankees: 1998-2002, Mets: 2006-2007
Hernandez came to America's MLB when he was already 33 years old, but he immediately made an impact for the Yankees, helping them win three straight World Series from 1998 to 2000.
He spent most of his professional baseball career in Cuba, where he notched his outstanding accomplishments.
Hernandez won the gold medal for Cuba in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, the Baseball World Cup in 1988, 1990, and 1994, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1993 and 1995 editions.
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