Fastball

Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell Takes Batting Practice Prior to Yankees-Mets

Donovan Mitchell wore a Robin Ventura New York Mets jersey to Citi Field on Tuesday night, getting the star treatment prior to the Subway Series showdown with the New York Yankees.

Sam Connon

May 23, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell watches a game between the Chicago Sky and the New York Liberty in the second quarter at Barclays Center.
May 23, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell watches a game between the Chicago Sky and the New York Liberty in the second quarter at Barclays Center. / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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Ahead of the first Subway Series matchup of 2024, one of the NBA's biggest stars got to have a bit of fun down on the field.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell was in attendance for the New York Mets' game against the New York Yankees at Citi Field on Tuesday night. He was wearing a Robin Ventura Mets jersey, paying homage to the third baseman who played in Queens from 1999 to 2001.

Mitchell was even given the chance to go through some batting practice. Despite shooting with his right hand on the basketball court, Mitchell is apparently a left-handed hitter.

NBA Draft prospect and former Kentucky Wildcats guard Reed Sheppard was at Citi Field as well, donning one of the Mets' new City Connect uniforms. Sheppard was there to throw out the first pitch, but he made sure to get a picture with Mitchell before his big moment.

Mitchell has strong ties to baseball, ones that explain his allegiances to the Mets.

Donovan Mitchell Sr. was a minor leaguer in the Houston Astros' farm system between 1992 to 1998. He joined the Mets' organization as a minor league coach and manager in 1999, and he has been New York's senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion and player relations since 2021.

The younger Donovan Mitchell was at Citi Field in 2023 as well, catching Rick Pitino's ceremonial first pitch. Mitchell played for Pitino at Louisville before he became the coach at St. John's, just 6 miles away from the Mets' home ballpark.

The Mets lost that game to the Yankees 7-6.

This time around, the Mets got out to a 6-0 lead and held on to win 9-7. Mitchell was more than happy to share his thoughts in real time, adding some commentary on social media during the game.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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