The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers were tied 3-3 going into the eighth inning, however, the score was then 9-3 after reliever Jorge Lopez gave up a home run to Shohei Ohtani with two outs in the top of the inning.
This marked the second day in a row that Lopez gave up a home run and two runs in an inning or less of work vs. LA. Not to mention, the pitcher has now also given up a homer in each of his last three outings.
So on that note, Lopez's frustrations started to get the best of him as he was facing the next batter Freddie Freeman, who did a check swing on a 2-1 count, but the third base umpire said he didn't go all the way around.
This is when everything spiraled out of control, as Lopez kept running his mouth and was ejected by third-base umpire Ramon De Jesus.
Lopez walked off the mound and was heading towards the dugout, when he decided to untuck his jersey and throw his glove into the crowd, while leaving his hat on the field.
As the Mets announcer summed it all up, "What has been a bad day all the way around has just gotten worse."
Jorge López has been ejected by third base umpire Ramon De Jesus.
López threw his glove into the crowd on his way off the field. pic.twitter.com/5BlF6badFQ
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 29, 2024
"That is where the Mets are at right now... not a good optic," the Mets broadcasters said.
The Mets currently have a 22-33 record and are 16.0 games back out of first in the NL East division. And to Lopez, in his opinion as a player for the organization, the Mets are "the worst team in the f****** league."
"I think I've been on the worst team in probably the whole f--king MLB."
- Jorge López pic.twitter.com/NB0cDJ5w0i
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 30, 2024
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked about Lopez throwing his glove into the crowd post ejection.
"What we saw today out of Lopez, that's not acceptable. And we will address that internally here," Mendoza said.
After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told the media that Jorge López's reaction to the ejection is "not acceptable" and added that the organization will "address that internally."pic.twitter.com/rCfNZThkOM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 30, 2024
That is to say, after the game, both Mendoza and David Stearns, president of baseball operations, spoke with Lopez. A source within the organization added that the front office has decided Wednesday night to "designate Lopez for assignment" (DFA).
This is understandable, especially if Lopez called his own team the worst in the league; yet, English is not the 31-year-old's first language, so his words weren't very clear in the postgame interview. With this in mind, some people thought they heard him calling himself the "worst teammate."
Lopez cleared up the comments.
We have clarification on Jorge López' postgame comments pic.twitter.com/VPG1jarShI
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 30, 2024
When asked what he meant on either teammate/or team, Lopez said it's a combination of him being "the worst teammate" on "the worst team."
In his ninth season in the league, and first season on the Mets, Lopez currently has a 3.76 ERA, 1.37 WHIP in 26.1 innings pitched, but after his actions tonight, he has now been removed from the 40-man roster.
Related: Mets Pitcher Jake Diekman Throws Water Cooler In Dugout
