Because the Yankees took batting practice prior to Monday’s Game 1 of the ALCS, Luis Rojas said he checked his phone in time to see Mark Vientos’ grand slam in NLCS Game 2 against the Dodgers.
His focus stays in The Bronx, where the previous Mets manager is the third base coach. But Rojas spent his entire 11-year coaching profession with that Mets organization before coming to the Yankees after he was fired as manager following the 2021 season.
Nobody on the sector has more connections with each teams than Rojas.
“I actually have people over there I really like and consider family,” Rojas said. “I wish them the most effective and am rooting for them. In the event that they get to the World Series and we get there, it can be special.”
And he knows how close it’s, with each teams now three wins away from a World Series berth after the Yankees’ 5-2 win over the Guardians in Game 1 on Monday and the Mets’ 7-3 conquer the Dodgers.
“Now there’s only two games occurring, so you may pay more attention,’’ Rojas said. “You have a look at every game. I’m excited for them and at this point, you may form of consider ‘What if?’ We’re each on missions to maintain two really good teams we’ve got to play.”
Rojas coached or managed lots of the primary characters within the Mets’ crazy run deep into October — some within the majors and others within the minors.
He said he’s not in contact with any of the players, but rattled off those he was rooting for, including Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo.
And he made some extent of praising Carlos Mendoza, who has gotten the Mets this far in his first 12 months as manager after the 2 served on the Yankees coaching staff each of the previous two years.
“Carlos and I actually have an important friendship,” Rojas said. “I don’t seek advice from him during a series, but I text with him at any time when they move on. I’m rooting for him.”
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Just as he’s the remainder of the team, a team Rojas said he was impressed with when the Yankees faced the Mets for a pair of series earlier within the season.
“With the best way they began this 12 months, it was tough to see them get so far,” Rojas said of the Mets’ rough opening week and terrible May. “But once we played them in each Subway Series, you can see how deep their lineup was they usually were pitching higher than their numbers showed. And Carlos has done job managing the bullpen. They need to be where they’re.”
