Mets pitcher Jorge Lopez blasts media for igniting postgame controversy
The language barrier might have played a significant role in the controversy that followed Wednesday night's ejection of New York Mets reliever Jorge Lopez.
Lopez, a native Spanish speaker, said he was not quoted accurately when several media outlets reported him calling the Mets "the worst team in probably the whole (expletive) MLB."
After he was ejected for arguing a check-swing call in a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lopez threw his glove into the stands on his way off the field. When asked by a reporter if he regretted his actions, the 2022 All-Star not only said he didn't but also that he understood if the team wanted to discipline him.
When asked by reporters to clarify whether he meant "worst team" or "worst teammate," Lopez said both applied.
However, it wasn't clear if the reliever knew the magnitude of how his words had been interpreted until the story exploded overnight.
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On Thursday afternoon, Lopez posted a statement on Instagram regarding the whole affair.
"I apologize to my teammates, coaches, fans and front office. I feel that i let them down yesterday, both on and off the field. I also want to clarify my post-game remarks because i had no intention of disparaging the New York Mets organization," Lopez said in his post. "During that interview, I spoke candidly about my frustrations with my personal performance and how I felt it made me 'the worst teammate in the entire league.
"Unfortunately my efforts to address the media in English created some confusion and generated headlines that do not reflect what I was trying to express. I wish the team the best."
The Mets designated the 31-year-old right-hander for assignment on Thursday.
"We have standards here ... Behaviors like that, we weren't going to tolerate that," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday. "We made the decision, we addressed it and now we got the Diamondbacks in town."
In nine major league seasons, Lopez has a 5.42 career ERA with 29 saves. However, he had a breakout season in 2022 with the Baltimore Orioles – posting a 1.68 ERA and 19 saves and making the American League All-Star team before being traded at the deadline to the Minnesota Twins.
In his first season with the Mets, Lopez has a record of 1-2 with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 26 ⅓ innings.