Players Who Played for Both the Yankees and the Mets

The New York Yankees and the New York Mets are two of the most iconic baseball teams in America. They’re also two of the biggest rivals in baseball. So it’s no surprise that some players have played for both teams. Here are some of those players.

Yogi Berra

Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra (May 12, 1925 – September 22, 2015) was an American professional baseball catcher, who later took on the roles of manager and coach. He played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), all but the last for the New York Yankees.

Berra was an 18-time All-Star and won 10 World Series championships as a player—more than any other player in MLB history. He is one of only four players to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award three times. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in baseball history, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

During his time with the Yankees, Berra appeared in 21 World Series, more than any other player in baseball history, and he holds numerous World Series records. He is also noted for his malapropisms and catchphrases, such as “It ain’t over till it’s over”, while he concurrently co-hosted The Odd Couple with Phil Silvers during 1968–1969.

Darryl Strawberry

Darryl Eugene Strawberry, nicknamed “Straw”, “Dr. Straw”, or “The Straw That Stirs the Drink”, is an American former professional baseball right fielder and author who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.

A eight-time All-Star, Strawberry was the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year in 1983 and won the World Series with the Mets in 1986 and the Yankees in 2000. He was also a member of the 1986 and 1993 National League Championship teams. From 1983 to 1990, he hit ten or more home runs each season, leading the league four times during that span. In 1996, he helped lead the Yankees to their first World Series title since 1978.

Rickey Henderson

Outfielder Rickey Henderson is one of the most accomplished base-stealers in baseball history. He played for both the New York Yankees and the New York Mets, making him one of a select few players to have donned the uniform of both New York baseball teams.

Henderson began his career with the Oakland Athletics in 1979. He was traded to the Yankees in 1985 and spent parts of six seasons in New York, winning a World Series in his first year with the team. Henderson was traded to the Mets in 1989 and spent three seasons with the team, helping them to reach the World Series in 2000. He rejoined the Yankees for a brief stint in 2000 before finishing his career with the San Diego Padres in 2003.

In total, Henderson played 25 seasons in Major League Baseball, compiling 3,055 hits, 1,406 stolen bases, and 2,190 runs scored. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Wade Boggs

Wade Boggs was born on June 15th, 1958, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was drafted out of high school in the 7th round of the 1976 MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox. After debuting in the majors in 1982, he quickly became one of the best hitters in baseball, winning five batting titles in a six-year span from 1983 to 1988. He also won the AL MVP award in 1987. In 1992, he signed with the New York Yankees as a free agent and proceeded to win another batting title and help lead them to a World Series win that year. He played with the Yankees until 1997 when he was traded back to the Red Sox. He retired after one more season in Boston. In his career, Boggs made 12 All-Star teams, won 5 batting titles, and amassed 3,010 hits.

David Cone

David Cone played for both the Yankees and the Mets. He was a member of the Yankees’ World Series-winning teams in 1996 and 1998. He also pitched a perfect game for the Yankees in 1999. Cone was traded to the Mets in 1992 and helped the team reach the World Series in 2000.

Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens, nicknamed “Rocket”, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in the majors, spending time with four different teams. He was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball history, racking up 354 wins, 4,672 strikeouts, and seven Cy Young Awards. What many fans don’t know is that Clemens also spent time with the hated rivals of his beloved Yankees: the Mets.

Clemens was traded to the Mets in 1999 in a deal that sent David Justice to the Yankees. He only spent one year with the team, going 10-13 with a 4.60 ERA. Clemens then signed with the Yankees for the 2000 season, where he would spend the rest of his career. In his return to Yankee Stadium, he pitched a complete game shutout against…the Mets.

Mike Piazza

Mike Piazza was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1988 MLB Draft as a favor to Tommy Lasorda, who was a family friend of Piazza’s. Piazza became one of the best catchers in MLB history, and was selected for 12 All-Star Games during his career. He played for the Dodgers from 1992-1998, before being traded to the Florida Marlins. Piazza played for the Marlins for half a season before being traded to the Mets, where he spent the majority of his career. Piazza played for the Mets from 1998-2005, and helped lead them to the 2000 World Series. In 2006, Piazza signed with the San Diego Padres, and he retired after playing two seasons with them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there have been a number of players who have had the unique distinction of playing for both the Yankees and the Mets. Some of the more notable names include Bobby Bonilla, Darryl Strawberry, Roger Clemens, and Pedro Martinez. While there are bound to be some differences between these two teams, it is clear that they share a common bond in their love for the game of baseball.

Players Who Played for Both the Yankees and the Mets

Introduction