Belli's slam, Fried's gem fuel emphatic Subway Series win

NEW YORK -- It was about two weeks ago that Cody Bellinger looked earnestly into the flawed mechanics behind his slow start in pinstripes, posing a simple question to the coaching staff: “Why am I chasing pitches?”

It was a call for help, and the staff responded, popping the hood for a peek inside. The suggestions were crisp: fix your balance, sharpen your pitch recognition, trust the plan. Those changes, subtle at first, have sparked the longest hot streak of Bellinger’s career.

After delivering a two-run double in the first inning, Bellinger capped a six-run eighth with his ninth career grand slam as the Yankees surged for an 8-2 victory over the Mets on Sunday evening at Yankee Stadium, securing the rubber game of the Bronx Subway Series.

“Results are really good to see, but ultimately, it’s like, ‘What’s the process? What’s the plan? What can I control?’” said Bellinger, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games. “That’s what I try to focus on. There were a few conversations in there, like, ‘What’s going on? Let’s take a step back.’ The guys on the mound are paid a lot of money to get you out, so I always remember how hard this game is.”

Lately, it hasn’t looked difficult at all for the Yankees, who have won four consecutive series, including wins in eight of their last 11 games.

The eighth-inning rally that put this one over the top began in understated fashion. An 11-pitch at-bat by Jorbit Vivas ended in a routine grounder -- until Pete Alonso airmailed his throw home, allowing Jasson Domínguez to dive in safely.

Alonso pinned the defeat on his shoulders, calling his toss “awful.” Paul Goldschmidt followed with a single that cashed an insurance run. Two batters later, it was Bellinger’s turn again. He pounced on a 97.1 mph Génesis Cabrera fastball, launching it over the right-field wall.

It was a swing that sparked a Bronx party, and a quiet train ride home for those in orange and blue.

“I feel like his approach is a little better,” Aaron Judge said of Bellinger, who is batting .377/.450/.679 (20-for-53) since his streak began on May 3. “He really knows what he’s looking for when he steps in the box, and when he gets what he’s looking for, he’s not missing it.”

Bellinger’s improvements seemed notable in a series marked by the jet-engine-decibel boos that rained upon Juan Soto’s return to the Bronx. Having departed for a 15-year, $765 million contract, Soto went hitless with two strikeouts in Sunday’s series finale, and 1-for-10 in the series. He closed the door hurriedly, dipping out to the streets without a public comment.

Had Soto stayed, Bellinger and Goldschmidt might not be in pinstripes; Max Fried certainly wouldn’t be.

Yankee Stadium’s largest crowd of the season thus far (48,028) was still settling in, perhaps purchasing an adult beverage or three, as Fried made the long walk to the bullpen for his warm-up. Towel slung across his shoulder, his strides recalled a conversation one dewy morning back in March at the club’s spring complex.

Then, the left-hander was making a similar stroll across outfield grass, prompting a club executive to offer this confession: “If Soto stays, Fried doesn’t happen.” The Yankees’ budget would never have stretched far enough to include Fried’s eight-year, $218 million deal, making Soto’s choice a fork-in-the-road moment for both New York teams.

Fried was excellent once more, striking out eight over a six-inning no-decision that remarkably raised his MLB-best ERA to 1.29, from 1.11. It speaks volumes that Fried’s 10th start for his new club was arguably one of his least sharp; while the Mets spotted his changeup having an off night, they still managed just three hits off him.

“It was definitely exciting. It was intense,” Fried said. “Series that feel like playoff series are always good, especially early in the year. It preps you for the kind of baseball you want to play towards the end.”

Fried’s ERA is the second-lowest by any Yankee through his first 10 starts of a season, behind only Phil Niekro (1.20 ERA in first 10 starts of 1984). Manager Aaron Boone noted how Fried seemed to sit in the low 90s with his velocity, then effortlessly shift into lower gears.

“He’s like a race car out there,” Boone said. “He’s just hard to get a beat on, because he’s just changing speeds and getting so much movement quality on all his pitches.”

Meanwhile, Soto’s weekend in a building he called his workplace for a year felt like no victory lap, though it included the delivery of his 2024 American League championship ring. There was no video tribute, no on-field presentation. Just a ring in a blue Yankee Stadium shopping bag, hand-delivered by Boone to the visiting clubhouse.

Soto settled for that swift exchange plus a 15-second chat with Judge, who embraced his former teammate in the outfield before Sunday’s game.

“I just said hello to him; I hadn’t seen him all series,” Judge said. “I just wished him the best. He’s one of the best in the game. You know, ‘Things like this are going to happen, just keep playing your game.’ It was good to see him, but I’m happy we were able to either walk him or not let him do any damage.”