All-Star reliever Jorge Lopez has been designated for assignment by the New York Mets, according to multiple reports.
The move comes after Lopez received an ejection in a 10-3 loss to the LA Dodgers on Wednesday and tossed his glove into the stands on his way to the dugout.
Lopez was ejected in the eighth inning after arguing a check swing call by the third base umpire. He previously surrendered a home run to Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani.
The Mets took issue with both Lopez’s actions during the game as well as his comments after the game. Speaking with reporters in the locker room, Lopez branded the struggling Mets as “the worst team in the whole MLB.”
“Whenever you’re going through a stretch like this, you want to see some emotions from players, anybody in here,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after. “But what we saw today out of Lopey, that’s not acceptable. And we will address that internally here.”
The Mets now have an option to either trade Lopez, release him, or send him to the minors.
Jorge Lopez signed a one-year deal with the Mets in December. He went 1-2 in 28 games, having a 3.76 ERA, 19 strikeouts, and two saves. Lopez previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, and Minnesota Twins, among other teams, and was an All-Star in 2022.
