For as much as Blue Jays fans may bemoan their team’s struggles, it could be worse – they could be the New York Mets.
No, it wasn’t just Bo Bichette’s return to Rogers Centre that produced a few tears from baseball enthusiasts on Monday night. But these other tears were either tears of pain or laughter.
As New York’s Ronny Mauricio was warming up in the on-deck circle to pinch-hit for Eric Wagaman at the start of the eighth inning, he accidentally hit teammate Francisco Alvarez on the elbow with a practice swing.
With Jays pitcher Tyler Rogers having finished his warmup throws, it appeared that Alvarez thought Mauricio was about to approach the plate and stepped up behind him near the visiting team’s dugout.
But Mauricio then swing his weighted warmup back backwards one more time, connecting the oft-injured catcher’s arm.
Mauricio quickly turned around to check on his teammate before heading to the plate.
Was Francisco Alvarez injured?
While Mets fans likely were holding their breath for a moment, Alvarez was able to stay in the game for his at-bat, doubling to centre field. He was then removed for a pinch runner.
There had been obvious concern for Alvarez after he got dinged by the swing, especially given his injury history.
Through the first four years of his five-year MLB career, Alvarez has suffered four different hand injuries, including a fracture in his thumb and in his hamate bone, as well as a fracture in his left pinky finger last year. He also missed a month of action earlier this season after suffering a torn meniscus.
What else has gone wrong for the Mets?
The on-deck circle incident wasn’t the only thing that had Mets fans groaning during the 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
To lead off the game, George Springer hit a de facto inside-the-park home run (which was scored as a triple with a run scored on an error) when high-priced outfielder Juan Soto comically misplayed a ball.
Springer hit a lazy fly ball to left field, with Soto charging in to field it. However, the superstar completely whiffed on the ball, allowing it to get past him and roll all the way to the wall.
Soto casually jogged back to retrieve it as centre fielder A.J. Ewing came over to cover. But as Ewing went to the ball, he lost grip and it went rolling towards Soto.
Soto then picked it up and didn’t bother to attempt a play at the plate as Springer came home to score.
“If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry,” Mets fan Cousin Sal said.
“Just missing the Benny Hill music,” another fan replied.
“You expected defence for your $765,000,000.00!” a third fan quipped, noting Soto’s astronomical price tag.
The Blue Jays and Mets continue their series on Tuesday night with first pitch at 7:07 p.m. Kevin Gausman gets the start for Toronto against rising star Nolan McLean for the visitors.