Even by New York Mets standards, this team has been in a rough patch this year, and on Wednesday that slump was most evident in part due to Mets relief pitcher Jorge Lopez.
Or should we say former Mets relief pitcher Jorge Lopez?
Admittedly, things weren't looking good for the Mets when Lopez took the field. Adam Ottavino had just given up a one-run single in the eighth inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-3 lead in a game that was tied. Lopez took the ball, gave up a double to rookie Miguel Vargas, got Mookie Betts to fly out and then gave up a two-run homer down the stretch to Shohei Ohtani to put Los Angeles up 9-3.
Then things started to get weird.
Lopez threw a 2-1 slider to Freddie Freeman that was low and inside and prevented the former MVP from swinging, and Lopez believed Freeman had swung, so strongly argued that he was ejected by third base umpire Ramon De Jesus.
The right-hander spoke a few more words to De Jesus before leaving the mound, hurling his glove into the stands in obvious frustration and walking out to the clubhouse, where the team left to make way for Josh Walker to be replaced mid-at-bat.
Freeman reached base on a walk and the Dodgers beat the Mets, 10-3, to extend their road winning streak by winning both games of a doubleheader on Tuesday.
Many thought that already reflected badly on Lopez, and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza agreed, telling reporters after the game that Lopez's glove throw was “unacceptable” and promising to address the issue internally.
Reporters continued to interview Lopez, who made some bold statements about the current state of the Mets and his position on the team.
When asked if he regretted throwing the glove, Lopez said:
“No. I have no regrets. I think I was probably on the worst team in the entire MLB. What happens happens, so it's fine what they want to do. I'll be here tomorrow if they want. I'll keep doing this job. I'm healthy. I'll be ready to come back tomorrow if they want.”
Things to note Some people They didn't hear Lopez say “probably the worst team in all of MLB,” they heard “probably the worst teammates in all of MLB.” Anthony DiComo for MLB.com When asked to explain that point, Lopez said he meant he was the worst teammate on the worst team in MLB.
Either way, those are not the words of a guy who expected to be in the clubhouse the next day, which quickly became a reality.
After Lopez's comments spread online, multiple Mets media outlets, including Joel Sherman of the New York Post, reported that the team planned to place the pitcher on assignment, ending his tenure with the team.
But what a great ending it was.
Is this a low point for the Mets?
Frankly, this is not what the Mets need right now.
Few expected this team, which improved only slightly last year (75-87), to be competitive in the NL East, but New York has failed to live up to those expectations, sitting in fourth place in the division with a 22-33 record as of Wednesday.
The Mets have been particularly bad recently, going 7-18 in May and losing eight of their last nine games. The day before, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns had acknowledged to reporters that the team was not playing like a playoff team, but he had refrained from saying the team would be sold at the trade deadline.
For reference, here are the top five teams in MLB by total salary on the 40-man roster according to Cot's Contracts, along with their current records.
1. New York Mets ($344.6 million): 22-33
2. Los Angeles Dodgers ($329 million): 36-22
3. New York Yankees ($312.6 million): 37 wins, 19 losses
4. Atlanta Braves ($265.2 million): 31-21
5. Philadelphia Phillies ($258.6 million): 39-18
The Mets are weak and expensive. They're in their fourth year under billionaire owner Steve Cohen, but haven't had any notable accomplishments outside of a 101-win season in 2022, when they fell short of a division title and lost in the wild-card round. They have some promising prospects thanks to some bargain sales last year, but they still rank just 13th among MLB's farm systems, according to MLB Pipeline.
Again, few had high expectations for the Mets this season, but it's unusual for such a financially well-endowed team to completely underperform. There are teams out there right now who are performing worse on the field, but when you compare where they are to where they should be, it's hard to deny that Lopez has a point.
