C-Mac had wanted to see the Mets show some fight and retaliate like they didn’t last year when Pete Alonso and others were consistently hit by pitches, but he didn’t agree with how things went down in their opening series against the Brewers.
The Mets threw behind Rhys Hoskins after his slide into second base led to benches and bullpens emptying in their season opener, and C-Mac says it should have never happened.
“I think McNeil completely overreacted to the slide,” C-Mac said. “This is not a guy hit with a 95-96 mph fastball. This is Rhys Hoskins sliding slightly late into second base…and he didn’t overslide. McNeil’s reaction on the field was so over-the-top for me, it was ridiculous.
“It puts the Mets in a position to have to retaliate. I don’t think the slide itself warranted hitting anybody…if McNeil had a problem, go after him on the field and be done with him right then and there.”
The Mets also got plenty of criticism for the way they retaliated, waiting until Hoskins had driven in four runs on Saturday before buzzing a fastball behind his back. C-Mac agreed that it was a bad look, but he also wouldn’t have sent a message to Hoskins to start the game given the state of their pitching staff.
“It’s really pathetic almost to do it after Hoskins has already beat you in the second game of the series,” C-Mac said. “But here’s the other thing. The pitcher got thrown out and suspended. The manager got thrown out and suspended…you can’t afford, at the beginning of the season when you’re already short on starting pitching, to have Luis Severino thrown out in the first inning.
“You know how you show Hoskins? You get him out…go beat them. Throwing a fastball at his back doesn’t prove anything. Not for a slide.”