NEW YORK — This past weekend’s Subway Series will be remembered for the Yankees and Mets uniting as one during the 9/11 20th anniversary festivities on Saturday night and …
Whistlegate. Cheating accusations. Finger wagging. A benches-clearing staring contest (won, incidentally, by Brett Gardner, who trolled the Mets with a thumbs-down signal). Statement home runs. And 30,000-plus fans (split roughly 50/50) screaming non-stop and hanging on every pitch.
Sunday night’s 7-6 Mets victory had it all, including megabucks shortstop Francisco Lindor’s long-overdue coming-out-party.
Want more Yankees coverage? Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text directly with beat writers
Lindor suspected the Yankees were whistling loudly from the dugout to alert hitters of tipped pitches on Saturday night, then he mocked them in the sixth inning of Sunday’s game by making a whistling gesture with his fingers in his mouth as he rounded the bases after hitting the second of his three home runs.
When Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton blasted his home run in the seventh, he basically walked past Lindor at shortstop and wagged his finger. Seconds later, the benches emptied and both teams stared at each other as Lindor and other Mets waved the Yankees onto the field as if to say, “C’mon.”
Lindor had the last word, launching his third home run of the game in the eighth inning off reliever Chad Green.
After the game, the Yankees admitted they were whistling on Saturday, but insisted reliever Wandy Peralta was trying to create some energy for a ballclub circling the drain with a seven-game losing streak.
“I don’t know if (Lindor) thought something was being relayed or whatever, but (Peralta) was just bringing some noise for what had been a flat few days and weeks,” Stanton said.
Added Yankees outfielder Joey Gallo, “It’s just Wandy, obviously, trying to liven up the dugout. It’s a loud whistle and it’s definitely not for pitch-tipping or anything like that. It’s 100% not that. It’s just him trying to bring energy to the dugout, especially early in the game before he has to go to the bullpen.”
The Mets believed the Yankees were whistling to alert their hitters that Saturday’s starter Taijuan Walker was tipping pitches in the second inning when he allowed five runs on three home runs. Whistling for that purpose is against the rules.
Regardless, Walker made an adjustment and ended his night with four 1-2-3 innings in a row.
“I’m not accusing them of doing those things,” Lindor said. “I’m saying I heard what I heard ... and they did put up a couple runs and it felt a little odd.”
What also was odd was Lindor chirping and whistling at Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres after Lindor’s second homer of the game, which he hit off Peralta in the sixth inning.
“I whistled to Gleyber,” Lindor said. “I told him, ‘Keep on whistling.’ And as I came around, I looked at the pitcher because he was closer to me. But I’m not trying to disrespect the game. I can’t disrespect the game. The game is bigger than me.”
Stanton sure took exception, so he decided to respond after his two-run homer in the seventh knotted the score, 6-6.
“I told (Lindor), ‘If you’ve got a problem with Wandy, give it to Wandy, don’t be bringing multiple people into it,’” Stanton said. “I just let him know that.”
The final response came from Lindor’s bat — the game-winning homer off Green.
“It was a back-and-forth game a little bit and a great player finished off a great night, and that ultimately was the difference,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
As for all the whistling and bickering, Boone added, “Boys will be boys, and I’m just going to leave it at that.”
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
Ad Choices