Yankees & Mets MUST Break June Swoon
Who is most likely to break their June swoon as we hit mid-season? The Yankees? or the Mets?
CINCINNATI, OHIO – JUNE 24: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees is held back by manager Aaron Boone #17 after Chisholm Jr. was ejected during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 24, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
(Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)Who's more likely to break out of their June Swoon? The Yankees or the Mets?
That is the question now as the losses continue to pile up for the Amazin's and the Bronx Bombers. The Mets lost for the 10th time in their last 11 games, following a 7-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves at home on Tuesday, while the Yankees couldn't corral the Cincinnati Reds for a second straight night, losing 5-4 in extras. The Yanks have lost nine of their last 12.
Yes, it is June 25. There are still three whole months to play in this 2025 season, and who knows what October might bring. All good and true. But as we hit the halfway point of the season, it's worth wondering which team is more likely to break out of this slump and turn the season back in the right direction.
WHY THE YANKEES ARE MOST LIKELY:
For starters, they have Aaron Judge (duh!) Judge is the quintessential MVP of the American League. He leads the Yankees in average (.364), homers (28), and RBI (62), to name a few. He's the sole reason why teams are afraid to deal with the Yankees at any point of a series.
Plus, Giancarlo Stanton is back and healthy. He's hit well since his return, .304 in seven games to be exact. Add Stanton to a veteran-laden lineup that features professional hitters like Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger, and the Yankees have no easy outs.
On the pitching front, the Yankees have pitched well in June, with a 3.26 team ERA. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon have been great all year, and most recently, Clark Schmidt (1.03 ERA in June) has been a solid number 3.
And finally, look at the American League. Outside of the Tigers, there is nobody who is truly better than the Yankees. Yes, Tampa Bay and Toronto have played themselves back into the AL East race, but neither team has the resources the Yankees do to fix their problems come the deadline.
WHY THERE IS REASON FOR CONCERN:
While the Yankees look deep on paper, they have shown signs of cracking during this skid, especially their six-game losing streak. When the Yankees don't homer, they struggle to produce runs. And when Aaron Judge's bat goes quiet, the Yankees are in even bigger trouble.
While the Yankees have broken out a bit against the Angels and Orioles in the last week, that stretch where new York was blanked for three straight games is a sobering reminder that if the Yankees face a good pitching staff, they could be in trouble.
While the Yankees' pitching has been good, they do miss Garret Cole and Luis Gil. If they had both, it's a different season.
WHY THE METS ARE MOST LIKELY:
The firm of Soto/Alonso and Lindor. The Mets have arguably three of the best "in their prime" position players in baseball right now. Juan Soto is on fire; he's now hitting .315 with 8 homers and 16 RBI in June alone. If Soto, Pete Alonso, and Francisco Lindor are clicking at the same time, watch out.
WHY THERE IS REASON FOR CONCERN:
Pitching: The Mets do not have enough of it. Losing Kodi Senga and Tylor Megill to injuries is one thing, but word came down Tuesday of a setback in Sean Manaea's recovery from an oblique strain. Reports were that Manaea needed a cortisone shot after being diagnosed with a loose body in his left elbow. That means his return will be delayed further.
New York is trotting out the likes of Griffin Canning, Paul Blackburn, and now Frankie Montas. This is not a good rotation. Not to mention the bullpen has been overworked, an issue that propped up on Tuesday when the Mets blew a 3-0 lead.
While the Mets added Jose Castillo and Richard Lovelady to the bullpen, neither has been outstanding.
The Lineup: Outside of the firm of Soto/Alonso and Lindor, the Mets' batting order is not great. The Mets have been trotting out the likes of Brett Baty, Luis Torrens, Jared Young, Ronnie Mauricio, and Luisangel Acuna all year. It doesn't help matters that Mark Vientos has struggled, and catcher Francisco Alvarez was so bad that he had to get sent down to the minors.
The National League: While the A.L. has been considerably weaker this year, the N.L. is a gauntlet unto itself. There are 10, count 'em, 10 teams that are over .500 in the National League. And that is not even including the Braves, who own the Mets right now.
The Mets find themselves in an inauspicious spot where they must win the NL East or face the possibility of having to fend off the San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Arizona D-Backs, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and the Braves for one of the final wild-card slots.
