President Donald Trump, known for his love of sports, turned his attention to baseball during a rally in Georgia, and the New York Mets found themselves on the wrong end of his commentary. While hyping up the Atlanta Braves, who lead the NL East with a 59-42 record, Trump couldn't resist taking a shot at the struggling Mets.
“But this guy has done such a good job! The Mets have the highest salary in baseball, and they lose all the time!” Trump said, referring to a Braves executive. He joked that the Mets should try to poach that talent, adding, “Maybe we could steal this guy…”
The remark landed hard on Mets fans already enduring a brutal season. New York sits dead last in their division at 43-60, with their worst win rate since 2003. The team fired manager Carlos Mendoza earlier this year, and things haven't improved. Fans took to social media to express their pain, with one admitting, “When the President is taking Jabs at the Mets, you definitely need to make some serious adjustments.” Another wrote, “I think I just hit my low point as a Mets fan.”
The criticism stings even more given the Mets' massive payroll, which is the highest in baseball. As one fan put it, “He’s not wrong. As a life long Mets fan, it’s atrocious.” Another quipped, “What’s even sadder is that Trump is actually right and it’s not Fake News LOL.”
This isn't the first time Trump has mixed politics and sports. He's previously been involved in controversies like Megan Rapinoe blaming him for throwing the US men's team off their game at the World Cup and his fury after an Argentina star snubbed a medal handshake at the World Cup final. But for Mets fans, this latest jab feels like a new low.
The team's struggles have been a sore spot for years, but Trump's public mockery adds an extra layer of embarrassment. With more than a third of the season still to play, the Mets are essentially out of playoff contention, and things could get worse before they get better.
For Braves fans, however, Trump's comments were a welcome endorsement. The Braves are cruising toward the postseason, and the president's praise only adds to the excitement. As for the Mets, they'll have to endure the jokes and try to turn things around—but for now, even the leader of the free world is piling on.
