Sunday was an ugly day for the Mets.
After New York’s bitter 5-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, manager Mickey Callaway faced several questions about his decision to keep reliever Seth Lugo in the game instead of opting for closer Edwin Diaz instead.
Callaway later got into a verbal altercation with a reporter, which led to Mets pitcher Jason Vargas threatening the reporter.
The Mets apologized to Newsday reporter Tim Healey Monday afternoon. Callaway and Vargas were both fined $10,000 each for their respective outbursts.
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is no stranger to the drama that can come with media interactions. He recalled a time he lost his cool on a reporter after a tough loss in Arizona during the latter end of his playing career.
“Someone was laughing in the corner,” Cora told reporters Monday, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. “I said ‘Hey man, can you keep it down, please?’ Out of respect.”
“But not that way,” Cora said in reference to Callaway’s tirade.
Still, Cora understood why Callaway may have been frustrated after the game.
“They asked the question nine times,” Cora said. “It was the same question nine times. He’s not going to change the answer. If he’s not going to use the reliever for five outs, after the third question … I get it. I know you have a job to do, but at the same time, it’s not that easy. Especially right after the game.”
Neither Callaway nor Vargas was suspended following Sunday’s incident.
