Unlikely World Series matchup inspires conflicting emotions in Mets fans

Who should Mets fans root for?

It's a difficult choice, and one that most Mets fans didn't expect to have to make. Had the Phillies or Braves reached the World Series, close to 100% of Mets fans would have been in the American League's corner, but this decision requires a little more nuance now that the two worst-case scenarios have been averted.

Let's begin with the Rangers. Most Mets fans are still bitter towards Max Scherzer, a feeling that stems from a couple of places. First, though it would be unfair to say Scherzer was bad in New York, he certainly didn't live up to the expectations Mets fans had when he inked a three-year, $130 million deal. Scherzer's bust will reside in Cooperstown one day, and deservedly so, but when the Mets needed him most, he was unable to shoulder the weight of being the team's ace.

Scherzer also burned some bridges when he left town, saying in his introductory press conference with the Rangers that he was told by Mets general manager Billy Eppler that the team didn't intend to go all-in on 2024. Whether that's true or was told to Scherzer just so he would waive his no-trade clause (allowing the Mets to acquire highly regarded prospect Luisangel Acuna), nobody knows, but it still left a sour taste in the mouths of Mets fans.

Jacob deGrom made the choice to leave the Mets in free agency after the 2022 season, a move that felt to many Mets fans like a betrayal after they stuck by the uber-talented righty through an injury-plagued last few years. Full confession, deGrom is my favorite Met of all-time, and was even before he became the best pitcher in baseball. His decision to leave the Mets, though, didn't seem like a huge surprise, even if it hurt at the time.

The most memorable part of Travis Jankowski's time in a Mets uniform was when he said that "no one's going to be buying my jersey," and then the Mets all wore Jankowski shirts while warming up less than two weeks later. A local product from Stony Brook, Jankowski was well-liked by fans even though he didn't get to see the field often.

Most Mets fans would probably not want Scherzer to get a ring, especially when the Mets are paying a big chunk of his salary. Feelings on deGrom are more mixed. Personally, I'm still rooting for him, but he's been out nearly the entire season with a torn UCL, so I have to imagine winning a championship this year when he wasn't able to contribute would ring somewhat hollow for him. As for Jankowski, most Mets fans would be happy for him if the Rangers pulled it off.