As Pete Alonso considered this year’s rendition of the Subway Series, which started Friday night at Yankee Stadium, he was thankful for two imports from The Bronx.

In Juan Soto and Clay Holmes, the Mets last offseason not only addressed two needs — a major bat for the lineup and dependable rotation arm — but both were key pieces of a Yankees team that reached the World Series for the first time in 15 years.

“As an organization, we’re doing a real good job of creating and harnessing the winning culture that we’re trying to cultivate,” Alonso said. “In order to do that you need to get great players. Not only did we get Juan, we got Clay, and those guys had opportunities to go other places. I am happy they chose us. They had been great performers for the Yankees.”

Soto, after a day off on Wednesday — his first time absent from the lineup this season — returned to his familiar No. 2 hole, ahead of Alonso, in the batting order. Holmes started on Wednesday and won’t get a chance to face his former team in the series.