NEW YORK — Javier Baez and the Mets have a clear message for the fans.
Baez parked a monster two-run home run into the left-field second deck in the Mets’ 9-4 win over the Nationals on Sunday at Citi Field. The crowd exploded with applause and cheers as Baez’s fourth home run for the Mets gave his new team the lead.
As Baez touched home plate, he put his thumbs down. He did that gesture repeatedly, before going into the dugout to rejoice with the rest of his teammates.
After the game, Baez explained that the Mets’ new celebration – a thumbs-down gesture that was also displayed by Francisco Lindor and Kevin Pillar when they got on base in Sunday’s win – is his teammates’ way of “booing” the fans.
“When we don’t get success, we’re going to get booed,” Baez said. “So they’re going to get booed when we get success.”
The president of the New York Mets said Sunday that it was “unacceptable” for his players to give home fans a thumbs-down gesture,.
Team president Sandy Alderson condemned Baez’s comments, saying “these comments (by Báez), and any gestures by him or other players with a similar intent, are totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“Mets fans are understandably frustrated over the team’s recent performance. The players and the organization are equally frustrated, but fans at Citi Field have every right to express their own disappointment. Booing is every fan’s right.
“The Mets will not tolerate any player gesture that is unprofessional in its meaning or is directed in a negative way toward our fans.”
Alderson added that he planned to “convey this message directly” in meetings with players and staff.
Lindor this season has also expressed frustration with the Mets fan base for booing him when he was slumping to start his career in Queens. The superstar shortstop was signed to an 10-year $341 million contract extension before the 2021 season, and Mets fans have had high expectations for him ever since.
Those same expectations have been applied to Baez, the former Cubs shortstop who joined the Mets at last month’s trade deadline. He has 22 strikeouts and four home runs in 17 games with the Mets, batting .213 in that stretch that included a trip to the injured list due to back spasms.
“It’s the boos that we get,” Baez said. “We’re not machines. We’re going to struggle seven times out of 10. It just feels bad when I strike out and I get booed. I want to let them know that when we have success, we’re going to do the same thing to let them know how it feels.
“In my case, they (the fans) gotta be better. I play for the fans and I love the fans. But if they’re going to do that, they’re just putting more pressure on the team. That’s not what we want.”
Baez indicated that it was his idea to start the thumbs-down celebration. His manager, Luis Rojas, said he didn’t know that the gesture was intended for the fans. The skipper, who was also booed with “Fire Rojas” chants on Wednesday after a pitching change, added that Mets fans “have the right to act however they want.”
The Mets (63-67) on Sunday won just their eighth game of August. The club has gone 16-27 since the All-Star break, a free fall that included dropping out of first place, a position it held for 90 days, and into third, 7.5 games behind the Braves. The Mets have not sniffed the playoffs in half a decade, and they haven’t won a championship in 35 years.
“Javy being a new guy here and getting to know our fan base, and some of the reactions that our fan base has, I just see it as something he’s learning,” Rojas said. “Our fans are like that, they’re very passionate. They demand the best. They demand wins.”
The manager indicated that the customer is always right. But the players? They’d rather celebrate their hits by giving their loyal and paying customers a thumbs down.
INDIANS: Catcher Wilson Ramos will require season-ending surgery for torn ligaments in his left knee, the team said.
Ramos tore his ACL and MCL in the seventh inning of Cleveland’s win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. He fielded a weak hit in front of the plate and was throwing to second base when his left knee buckled and he crumpled to the infield grass.
The 34-year-old Ramos played in 44 games this season – nine with Cleveland, 35 with Detroit. He batted .226 with two homers and seven RBI for the Indians, who have been without Gold Glove catcher Roberto Perez for much of the year.
Perez was placed on the injured list earlier this month with right shoulder inflammation and back spasms. He spent 60 days on the IL earlier this season after undergoing surgery on his right middle finger, which was broken in April when reliever James Karinchak crossed him up on a pitch against the Chicago White Sox.
Austin Hedges has handled most of Cleveland’s catching duties this season.
Ramos drove in two runs Sunday. After he got hurt, Hedges replaced him and hit a game-tying home run.
MARLINS: Pitching prospect Jake Eder is scheduled to undergo reconstructive elbow surgery and might be sidelined until 2023.
Eder was a fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Vanderbilt and is ranked as one of baseball’s top 100 prospects.
A 22-year-old left-hander, Eder went 3-5 with a 1.77 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings over 15 starts this year for Double-A Pensacola. He was chosen for MLB’s Futures Game.
PIRATES: The last-place Pittsburgh Pirates have fired hitting coach Rick Eckstein.
The Pirates, who are in the early stages of a reboot under GM Ben Cherington, have struggled to produce offense all season.
Pittsburgh entered Monday last in the majors in runs scored, home runs, slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging. The Pirates are also 27th in the majors in batting average and are on their way to a third straight last-place finish in the NL Central.
Former general manager Neal Huntington hired Eckstein, the brother of former major league second baseman David Eckstein, in November 2018.
The Pirates have overhauled their coaching staff since Eckstein joined the organization. The front office has been focused on stockpiling prospects, many of whom are still several years away from reaching the majors, leaving Eckstein little to work with.
ANGELS: Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani will not pitch Tuesday night against the New York Yankees in order to give his right hand extra time to heal.
Angels Manager Joe Maddon also said outfielder Mike Trout is experiencing soreness in his right calf after running the bases on Saturday and that discussions about shutting down the three-time AL MVP for the rest of the season are rapidly approaching. Maddon hinted that it could happen in the next week or two.
Ohtani was hit in his pitching hand by a 93 mph fastball from San Diego’s Ryan Weathers while swinging during the first inning of Saturday’s game against the Padres.
GIANTS: Right-hander Johnny Cueto was scratched from his scheduled start for San Francisco on Monday night against Milwaukee because of cold and flu-like symptoms, and fellow Giants starter Alex Wood tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing symptoms.
Cueto, who has tested negative, was put on the COVID-related injured list.
MONDAY’S GAMES
TWINS 3, TIGERS 2: Bailey Ober pitched six solid innings and Josh Donaldson’s two-run homer helped visiting Minnesota Detroit.
The game, a makeup from a July 16 rainout, was played in front of a minuscule crowd.
The Twins have won 3 of 4. Detroit has lost 4 of 5, scoring only nine runs.
CARDINALS 3, REDS 1: Jon Lester allowed one hit while pitching into the seventh inning, Paul Goldschmidt homered and visiting St. Louis inched closer to slumping Cincinnati in the NL wild-card race.
The Cardinals closed within 2 1/2 games of Cincinnati for the second wild-card spot. San Diego is in between them.
The Reds have scored one run in each of their last three games, all losses.
Lester (5-6), in his sixth start for St. Louis since being acquired from Washington on July 30, retired 16 consecutive batters after giving up his only hit, Kyle Farmer’s second-inning leadoff home run.
The veteran left-hander walked two and struck out five in 6 1/3 innings, earning his fourth straight win after losing his first two starts with the Cardinals.
BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 3: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two homers and raised his season total to 38, Robbie Ray pitched seven innings for his first win in six starts, and Toronto beat visiting Baltimore.
Guerrero hit a solo home run off right-hander Chris Ellis in the fourth inning and a three-run blast off righty Marcos Diplan in the seventh. It was the seventh multihomer game of Guerrero’s career and his fifth this season.
Bo Bichette hit a tying single off Dillon Tate (0-4) in the sixth, and Teoscar Hernandez followed with a two-run double as the Blue Jays rallied to win their third straight.
Toronto’s George Springer went 1 for 2 with a walk, scored twice, was hit by a pitch and stole a base in a busy return to the lineup after missing 13 games because of a sprained left knee.
Ryan Mountcastle homered and had two RBI for the Orioles. The loss dropped Baltimore to 3-24 in August.
RANGERS 4, ROCKIES 3: A.J. Alexy won his major league debut pitching one-hit ball through five shutout innings and DJ Peters, Leody Taveras and Nick Solak homered in consecutive innings as Texas hung on to beat visiting Colorado.
Alexy (1-0) allowed only a second-inning double to C.J. Cron. The 23-year-old who was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day struck out four and walked three throwing 81 pitches. Alexy helped himself in the fifth following a leadoff walk to Raimel Tapia by picking him off first base for the second out.
Trevor Story hit a solo homer in the seventh inning and a two-run shot in the eighth for Colorado.
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