New York Yankees Skipper Praises Former Bullpen Star, as Rival Team Lurks Amid Free Agency

The Battle of New York has taken a new turn. While on-field, both the New York Yankees and the New York Mets haven’t been at their best; off-field, in the payroll charts, they’ve remained on top. While both the Bombers and their cross-town neighbors lost the Yoshinobu Yamamoto race, it looks like they’re again ready to lock horns with each other. The objective? Wandy Peralta.

Ever since Wandy Peralta became a free agent, the Pinstripes have been linked with him. It isn’t a surprising connection, as in his three seasons with the Yankees, Peralta became a huge hit with the clubhouse. Skipper Aaron Boone recently commented on the love affair between Peralta and the Yankees. The only question is: Could the Mets turn this into a love triangle?

The New York Yankees/Wandy Peralta connection

Aaron Boone recently appeared on the Talkin’ Yankees podcast, where he answered a bunch of questions regarding the plans of the Yankees. Boone opened up quite a bit while talking about how he envisioned the pinstripes would look in the future. While discussing the bullpen and possible entries into it, the fans loudly shouted “Wandy!” to him. Boone acknowledged the chant and said, “Wandy’s out there. Man! Wandy’s been amazing for us. Wandy’s been a really good Yankee, man. He’s awesome! He’s such a stud!”

The reaction of the fans as well as the words of Boone show the immense love that Wandy has garnered from the Bronx faithful. No doubt, his showmanship and great sense of humor have played a major part in it, but so have his performances. During his entire stay in the Bronx, Peralta was one of the most consistent relievers in all of the league.

The 32-year-old has averaged a 2.82 ERA in his three years with the Yankees. Known for his 95mph+ hard sinker, Peralta’s changeup and sliders too have generated a high whiff rate. His biggest quality, however, is his ability to keep improving as he ages. During his Pinstripe years, Peralta improved his walk rate and became more of a zone pitcher.

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Perhaps that’s the reason why both of the Big Apple teams fancy La Grasa.

The New York Mets are looking to prove they’re alive and well

The Mets have signed a few pitchers till now, like Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, and now Adam Ottavino as well. With all of them being short-term additions, the Amazin’ Mets’ strategy looks to be to get this season over with so they can properly rebuild in 2025. So they’re filling their roster’s gaps temporarily, but there’s a big one still to fill: a lefty pitcher.

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This is where Wandy Peralta comes into the picture. So when Jon Heyman reported that the Mets were interested in him, not many were surprised. He could prove to be a trustworthy hand for the Queens Side. So a battle is certainly brewing in Gotham; one wonders who will prevail this time.