The Mets took a loss Wednesday night and decided to compound that with an emotional loss as well.
That came in the form of an anonymous player complaining about Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman's demonstrative celebration after going eight innings against New York -- his former team -- in which he pounded his chest and chirped at the Mets dugout.
Stroman and the Cubs would win 4-2, but an anonymous Mets player decided to not look inward after the loss and instead said Stroman's antics were unnecessary.
"Show some respect. Be a professional. It isn’t all about you," the player said, per SNY Mets.
An anonymous Met on Marcus Stroman's exit from last night's game:
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 25, 2023
"Show some respect. Be a professional. It isn’t all about you.”
(via @NYPost_Mets) pic.twitter.com/0vKM2uroQN
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"Show some respect. Be a professional. It isn’t all about you.”
— GENY Mets Report (@genymets) May 25, 2023
~ An anonymous #Mets player on Marcus Stroman taunting the dugout after throwing 8 innings last night.
(Via: @NYPost_Mets) pic.twitter.com/Q5QmL48htq
Stroman, for his part, felt no need to apologize. He spent some time on Twitter Thursday defending his enthusiasm and retweeting others who offered their support to him.
A) It’s a little ironic to talk about respect when you don’t even put your own name to your criticisms about another player, and B) A guy being pumped up for shoving it up his former team’s ass is about as normal a behavior as it gets in pro sports. Let Stro do his thing. https://t.co/wXPG2MhKy3
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) May 25, 2023
It's been a tough season for the Mets, who entered the year with a mountain of hype after adding Justin Verlander in free agency. The Mets enter Thursday .500 at 25-25, third in the NL East, and things simply haven't gone their way.
Stroman has a past with the Mets that he hasn't been shy about voicing. This was his first game against them after pitching for them in 2019 and 2021 (he opted out of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic). Last February Stroman took aim at GM Billy Eppler on Twitter, and he said the front office did nothing to curb racist taunts being made against him by Mets fans.
In the vacuum of Wednesday, Stroman inarguably earned the right to celebrate how he wanted. He went eight innings and gave up two runs on four hits and two walks.
The teams wrap up their three-game set Thursday as the Mets try to avoid being swept after sweeping the Guardians.
