Mets Francisco Lindor Appears to Taunt A's Bullpen After Home Run

Jason Burke | Aug 15, 2024

Aug 14, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Oakland Athletics at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland A's reliever Austin Adams entered Tuesday's game with runners on first and second and nobody out, but worked out of it unscathed, ultimately getting Francisco Alvarez to strike out. He then did the Mets' "OMG!" celebration, which had the Mets, and their fans, a bit worked up following the game.

Adams, like a lot of relievers, talks a bit when he's on the mound. This isn't a Mets-specific thing, he's been doing it all year. After the strikeout and the celebration, he had some choice words directed at nobody in particular, as he walked off the mound. The A's have had closers like Grant Balfour and Liam Hendriks in the past who would routinely shout on the mound to pump themselves up, so this kind of jawing is nothing new to the people in Oakland.

Austin Adams' celly is Broadway-ready 😅 pic.twitter.com/u0sFsnfivj

— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) August 14, 2024

Adams told reporters after the game that it was a spur of the moment reaction, and told Will Sammon of The Athletic, "Yeah, I pitch on emotion. I need to do a better job of maybe not doing that. Big-time situation in the game, got some big outs, helped the team win. Listen, when you get DFA’d, you’re told you’re not good enough to play for a team anymore, it sucks. So, yeah, a little extra juice today."

Seems like a pretty reasonable explanation of his actions, and he even said that the "OMG" song by Jose Iglesias is "sick" and that Iglesias is a good dude. "Hopefully no one is offended."

The Mets sure seemed to be offended.

Closer Edwin Díaz said after the game, "He crossed a line because that’s something we do when we hit a homer or something. He [can] do it always, that’s fine. But, he can’t get mad if we do something to him the next couple of days."

During Wednesday's 9-1 Mets win, Francisco Lindor launched his 100th home run as a Met, and as he neared second base, flashed the "OMG" celebration towards the A's bullpen.

OMG pic.twitter.com/IlD3tWS5fV

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 14, 2024

The Mets need something to pump themselves up, and just like Adams, they are rallying around something small that will get them going. No issue there whatsoever. New York is two back in the NL wild card, and are 4-6 in their last ten. These types of things can help a club rattle off a few wins in a row, and those wins could be the difference between playing in October and sitting at home.

The baseball season is long, and sometimes players need something to get them going in August. They call this the "dog days" for a reason.

After the game, Lindor "denied directing the motion into the opposing bullpen and said it was toward his own" according to the New York Post. With the bullpens so close together at Citi Field, it's tough to say for certain exactly where he was aiming his own celebration. Yet, given the emotions from the club about Adams' own celebration the night before, we could be in store for a little more if Adams gets on the mound in the finale on Thursday.