Mets Immediately Cut Ties With Hothead Pitcher Who Bashed ‘Worst Team’

Getty Mets reliever Jorge Lopez has been designated for assignment.

We’ve only just passed Memorial Day and already, what had started as a New York Mets season bound for disappointment has devolved into a full-blown dumpster fire and theater of the absurd. Rock bottom arrived on Wednesday when enigmatic relief pitcher Jorge Lopez was not only ejected from the 10-3 loss to the Dodgers—which completed a series sweep and marked the Mets’ eighth loss in the last nine games—he then threw his glove into the stands on the way out.

Then he went on a profanity-laced tirade against the team.

Then he was cut by the team, officially designated for assignment after posting a 3.76 ERA in 28 relief appearances.

Lopez was asked after the game whether he regretted his fateful glove-toss.

“No,” he said. “No, I don’t regret it. I think I have been in with the worst team in probably the whole f***ing MLB. So, whatever happens, happens. Whatever they want to do, I’ll be tomorrow here. If they want me, whatever they want to do. So, I’m gonna keep doing this thing. I’m healthy so, whatever to do. I am ready to come back tomorrow.”

Jorge López was asked to clarify his comments about the Mets being “the worst team in the whole f–king MLB”

Mets Wasted No Time Cutting Jorge Lopez

The Mets, angered by Lopez’s behavior, did not want Lopez back, and announced his designation on Wednesday night. It’s unclear whether it was the glove-toss or the postgame ripping of the franchise that sealed his fate, but either way, he will no longer be a Met. Lopez was originally ejected by third-base umpire Ramon DeJesus after DeJesus determined a checked swing by Dodgers star Freddie Freeman was not a full swing.

It was part of a fateful inning that effectively summarized the Mets’ season. The game was tied, 3-3, entering the eighth when reliever Adam Ottavino entered and allowed a home run on the second pitch he threw. Ottavino got a strikeout, but the Dodgers followed with a triple, a walk, a stolen base and a single that pushed the score to 5-3.

Lopez entered the game and committed a throwing error on a pickoff play, allowed a double, got an out on a deep fly ball, then allowed a two-run homer to Shohei Ohtani that put the Mets behind, 7-3. Freeman batted next, and that was it for the game, for Lopez and for his Mets career.

Not Built to Contend

The Mets began the season with playoff hopes, but those have quickly flagged because of injuries and disappointing performances in general. But the Lopez flap was a new low. The team is 22-33 and its performance against other expected contenders in the last three series (the Guardians, Giants and Dodgers) showed clearly that this team is not going to compete this season.

The Mets were swept by Cleveland and L.A. and one just one of three games against San Francisco.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was not happy after the game, can called the glove-toss, “unacceptable.” He initially said would be handled internally and that, obviously, meant dumping Lopez.

“It definitely doesn’t look good,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said after the game. “If our manager says it’s unacceptable, it’s unacceptable. I hope tomorrow [López] feels completely different. … If he doesn’t, at the end of the day, he’s our teammate and we’ve got to go out there and compete, day in and day out, and I’ll back him up.”

Lopez, 31, could still land elsewhere despite his behavior. He is a decent enough bullpen arm and has pitched for six different franchises since his debut in 2015.