In order to be “transparent” and “to provide information in real time,” Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen spent at least 20 minutes with the press after the Mets’ 4-0 loss to the Braves to update everyone on the Yoenis Cespedes situation.
Van Wagenen stressed repeatedly that Cespedes is safe and healthy although gave no information as to his whereabouts.
Brodie told the gathering that Cespedes has decided to opt out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 related reasons. This move, and the way it was handled, most likely ends Cespedes’ time with the Mets.
To recap from the beginning, the Mets showed up at Truist Park in Atlanta to play the Braves in the third game of a four-game series. Yoenis Cespedes was not among them. The Mets later tweeted:
BREAKING:
Statement from Brodie Van Wagenen – “As of game time, Yoenis Cespedes has not reported to the ballpark today. He did not reach out to management with any explanation for his absence. Our attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.”— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) August 2, 2020
As the game wore on, sources indicated that Cespedes was in no danger but still was unaccounted for.
After the game, Van Wagenen spoke first and went public with the news. He stated, “It’s disappointing. This is a disappointing end at least to his four-year agreement with the Mets.”
He added further, “We will support him in that decision. It was surprising, without question.”
It turns out Cespedes packed up his belongings and left the team’s hotel without informing the team, according to the GM, though it was unclear where Cespedes was as of late Sunday afternoon.
Cespedes missed significant time due to injury in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and he was only batting .161 with two home runs and four RBI in eight games as the team’s designated hitter in 2020.
“I am very surprised,” manager Luis Rojas said of Cespedes opting out. Rojas apparently was aware of his missing player, tried to call him, but could do little else as he was managing the game.
Reaction to the opt out from outside the organization was swift. First, the Mets were blamed for handling the situation poorly from a communications point of view.
But the brunt of the anger was saved for Cespedes himself. Starting with Gary Apple and Todd Zeile on the Mets’ postgame show, who called the move a “classless” one by the slugger, not informing his team of his whereabouts and just going AWOL.
Fan reaction on social media has also focused on the both the Mets’ public relations handling of this ordeal and Cespedes’ handling of his opt out. Both were met with disdain and disbelief.
MMO will provide much more coverage of this evolving story, including how the Mets will move on after Cespedes, in future articles. For now, this Sunday turned out to be a messy one for the New York Mess – err, Mets.
