The Mets put together back-to-back wins on Sunday for the first time since Aug. 12, but in those 17 days, Javy Baez and his Mets teammates have taken notice to all the boos echoing throughout Citi Field.
They’ve turned it back around at the fans in a not-so-subtle celebration.
During the Mets’ 9-4 win over the Nationals on Sunday, Baez gave the Mets the lead with a go-ahead, 444-foot home run in the fourth inning. As the Mets infielder crossed home plate, he gestured a “thumbs down” with both hands towards the dugout. Baez would say after the game that it was the team’s response to the negativity they’ve heard this season from their own fans.
Javier Baez – New York Mets (26) pic.twitter.com/tgnyxOlbbK
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) August 29, 2021
Javy Báez said the Mets' new thumbs down celebration is a response to fans booing the team.
"We're not machines, we're going to struggle. … It just feels bad when I strikeout and I get booed. … We're going to do the same thing to let them know how it feels," he said. pic.twitter.com/CYkHVpE2KH
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) August 29, 2021
Baez spoke about the gesture during the postgame press conference.
Javier Báez says the thumbs down celebration is in response to the fans booing the team
"I play for the fans and I love the fans but if they're gonna do that, they're putting more pressure on the team" pic.twitter.com/cjUER4M2Pt
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 29, 2021
Heading into Saturday’s game, the Mets had lost 12 of 14 and seen a 3.5-game lead in the NL East turn into a now-7.5-game deficit. So, it’s pretty clear exactly why Mets fans have been so frustrated this month. Baez — who was the team’s big pick-up ahead of the deadline — had been both hurt and disappointing since joining the Mets.
And even if Mets fans can be an irrational bunch from time to time, taking a shot at them in celebration form probably won’t endear Baez to the Mets faithful going forward.
More 444-foot homers will, though.