Before Javier Baez and Francisco Lindor spoke to reporters on Tuesday and apologized for their participation in the “thumbs down” celebration that was directed toward Mets fans, there was a team meeting.
And according to manager Luis Rojas, who denied previously knowing the meaning behind the gesture, players were accountable during it.
“I think the guys from today — I’m just gonna talk about today, that’s where I wanna keep things right now, that’s where we wanna be — guys were accountable today from my knowledge,” Rojas said. “Javier and Francisco showed up and they were accountable for some of their actions and some of their sayings, and they want to clarify some things.
“I think I said Sunday about learning experience. Everyone’s learning. As time goes, everyone’s learning, and guys sometimes will make decisions, and they’re not always going to be the right ones. But there [is] always going to be an opportunity to do things like that, like they did today. They’re being accountable for some of their decisions and what’s what I see in this group.”
Lindor was in the lineup for the first of the Mets’ two games on Tuesday against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field, while Baez was not.
Speaking first on Monday, Baez said he didn’t mean to offend anyone.
Shortly after Baez spoke, Lindor said the celebration was wrong and apologized.
Added Rojas about the situation:
“This is a group of guys I think is accountable for their actions. They show vulnerability in some of their performances and now in some of the decisions that they made away from the field and on the field as well. This team is (accountable), and I think that’s the biggest thing that’s helped us throughout some adversity this year and that’s the only thing as well that can help us moving forward right now.”