The New York Mets are hosting the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday. Mets fans taking the subway to the game are in for a surprise.

Grimace, the iconic purple McDonalds mascot who has become a rallying cry and good luck charm for the Mets this season, is set to takeover the New York City subway ahead of Game 3. A train featuring Grimace decals departed from Hudson Yards at 1:00 p.m. ET going towards Citi Field ahead of first pitch at 5:08 p.m. ET.

Amanda Mulligan, director of social media and influencer at McDonalds, shared the details of the takeover with Evan Drellich of The Athletic.

“We saw so much social conversation where people were photoshopping Grimace’s face decal on the purple 7 subway train line,” Mulligan said. “And so it felt perfect that we could bring some of that Grimace flavor into the commute for all of the Mets fans, knowing that everyone’s going to be riding the 7 train up to Citi Field. There might even be a surprise appearance from Grimace himself on the subway.”

Some lucky Mets fans even captured footage of Grimace entering their subway car ahead of the game, and were thrilled to see their team's good luck charm.

The story behind Grimace and the New York Mets

Article Continues Below
More New York Mets News
Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) runs out an RBI double against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
MLB rumors: Mets, Mariners labeled best trade fits for Orioles starsRussell Steinberg ·
New York Mets third baseman Ronny Mauricio (10) throws a ball into the stands after the top of the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.
Mets call up ex-No. 1 prospect after hitting .515 in Triple-AZachary Weinberger ·
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) rounds the bases during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.
Mets extend wild Francisco Lindor streak with win over DodgersRexwell Villas ·
Jun 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) rounds the bases during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
Francisco Lindor on verge of breaking Curtis Granderson’s franchise recordMike Gianakos ·
New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) catches a fly ball during the game against the Chicago White Sox.
Mets’ Juan Soto slump could force offensive upgrade before deadlineJosh Davis ·
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates with first baseman Pete Alonso (20) after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field.
Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso set new Mets duo franchise recordChristopher Hennessy ·
McDonalds character Grimace on the field between the top and bottom of the sixth inning between the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.
© Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The unlikely Mets-Grimace partnership began when Grimace threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field on June 12 in a celebration of the character's birthday. At the time of Grimace's first pitch, the Mets were struggling with a 28-37 record. The Mets won that day, and ended up going on a seven-game winning streak. Since that game, the Mets have had a 61-38 record, one of the best in baseball, on the way to earning a spot in the postseason.

With Grimace becoming so popular with fans, the Mets began utilizing the McDonalds character more throughout the season. The Mets painted a seat at Citi Field purple in honor of Grimace, he made another appearance at the ballpark and even appeared in a video promoting the team's 2025 schedule. Pete Alonso even has been wearing purple Grimace-inspired cleats throughout the season.

The latest move, decking a subway train out in Grimace decals and having Grimace ride to the game with fans, seems to have been a success. The big question now: Will the Mets' luck, inspired by Grimace, continue in Game 3?