A bizarre answer by Harrison Bader during an interview poured more salt in the wound for Mets fans reeling from a disastrous day for the franchise.
In what was supposed to be a fun interview with Bleacher Report on TikTok, the Mets center fielder was asked for his Mount Rushmore of New York athletes, to which he said, “Derek Jeter, Aaron Judge, and Anthony Volpe.”
Bader played with the Yankees for a season and a half from 2022-23 and might still have his head in the clouds dreaming of The Bronx while playing in Queens.
Bader, who grew up a Yankees fan in nearby Bronxville, said in a 2022 postseason interview that he idolized Jeter and the Core Four for most of his childhood.
Playing for their crosstown rival and saying that Volpe is on the Mount Rushmore of New York athletes seems like it’s a shot at the Mets, considering the 23-year-old has not even made an All-Star team or made the playoffs.
There are many more qualified names for this list than Volpe.
It is worth noting that there were only three names given despite the question typically calling for four names to mimic the four faces on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota.
Maybe Bader could’ve snuck in Mike Piazza, Dwight Gooden, Tom Seaver or someone to appease Mets fans with that fourth and final spot.
The Mets on Wednesday saw Edwin Diaz go to the IL with an elbow injury, Pete Alonso get hit by a pitch and exit, and reliever Jorge Lopez claiming his team was the worst in baseball before being cut.
The rest of Bader’s interview was innocent enough.
He chose gum over sunflower seeds and said he’s a Raiders fan instead of a Giants or Jets fan among others
But the timing here leaves much to be desired.
It’s been tough enough without the off-the-field distractions for the Mets, as they have blown seven saves in the month of May alone.
The Mets look to right the ship on Thursday against the Diamondbacks.
