Ahead of the trade deadline, the Mets made an aggressive move to acquire Javy Baez from the Cubs despite his expiring contract. If the past few days are any indication, the Mets gave up their 2020 first-round pick for a three-month rental who gets booed by their own fans.
On Sunday, Baez upset both Mets fans and the front office when he told reporters that the team’s thumbs-down gestures in celebration were a message to the negativity they’ve heard from fans during August’s collapse.
Baez — along with Francisco Lindor — tried to move past the ordeal by apologizing ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Marlins. Baez was not in the starting lineup for the game (a resumption of a suspended game). But when he entered as a pinch hitter, Mets fans weren’t exactly welcoming.
Here is how Citi Field greeted Javier Báez in his first plate appearance of the day. pic.twitter.com/O362RNV4GL
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 31, 2021
The small crowd at Citi Field serenaded Baez with loud boos and thumbs-down gestures — a similar scene to what took place during Lindor’s pregame apology.
That probably wasn’t what Baez imagined when he arrived to the then-first-place Mets in July. But it comes with the territory of playing for the Mets, apparently.
Baez would end up reaching on a hit by pitch.
Javy Báez pinch-hit for Jeff McNeil in the eighth inning and he was greeted to… an onslaught of fierce and heavy boos. The boos and cries of 'you suck' continued throughout his at-bat, which ended in a hit by pitch. He walked to first base amid applause.
Baseball is weird.
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) August 31, 2021
Things would change the next inning as Baez came to the plate with runners on second and third — and the Mets down by two. This time, with fans chanting his name, he’d drive in a run on an infield single.
The following at-bat, Michael Conforto won the game on a hit to left field. The winning run was scored by Baez because of course.
"TURN THOSE THUMBS AROUND!"
Mets walk it off! Jávy Baez scores the game-winning run! pic.twitter.com/oEYgvPF7e9
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 31, 2021
