As the Yankees took batting practice ahead of Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday, Luis Rojas turned to his cell phone in time to watch Mark Vientos' grand slam in Game 2 of the National League CS vs. the Dodgers. He said he checked.
His focus remains on the Bronx, where the former Mets manager is the third base coach. But Rojas spent his entire 11-year coaching career with the Mets before being fired after the 2021 season and coming to the Yankees.
No player on the field has more ties to both teams than Rojas.
“I have people that I love and consider family,” Rojas said. “I wish them the best and I'm rooting for them. If they get to the World Series and we get there, it's going to be special.”
And he added that with the Yankees' 5-2 win over the Guardians and the Mets' 7-3 win over the Dodgers in Game 1 on Monday, both teams are now three wins away from a World Series berth. , you know how close it is.
Coach Rojas said, “There are only two games left, so we should pay more attention.'' “You watch every game. I'm excited for them, but at this point you can think, 'What if?' We both have a mission to take care of two really good teams that have to play. ”
Rojas coached or managed many key players in the majors and minors during the Mets' crazy run since October.
He said he hasn't been in touch with any of the players, but he has stayed in touch with players he was rooting for, including Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo.
And he went out of his way to praise Carlos Mendoza, who has led the Mets to this point in his first year as manager after serving on the Yankees' coaching staff for each of the past two years.
“Carlos and I have a great friendship,” Rojas said. “I don't talk to him during the series, but I text him every time the series goes on. I'm rooting for him.”
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Rojas, like the rest of the team, said he was impressed with one team earlier in the season when the Yankees played a series against the Mets.
“The way they started this year, it was tough to see them get this far,” Rojas said of the Mets' tough opening week and terrible May. “But playing against them in both Subway Series, you could see how deep their batting line was and they pitched better than the numbers indicated. And Carlos did a good job managing the bullpen. They You deserve to be where you are.”
