Mets infielders Javy Báez and Francisco Lindor apologized Tuesday for directing thumbs-down gestures at fans during Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Báez, Lindor and Kevin Pillar were among Mets players to use the gesture Sunday, with Báez saying after the game it was a way to return boos to critical fans. The former Cubs shortstop clarified his comments Tuesday.
"I didn't mean to offend anybody," Báez said. "This is something I've done in the past against the other team. I did it in LA to the dugout.
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"I might [have said] something wrong about how I was booing the fans, and I really meant, "Boo me now," — and not to the fans — to our dugout, because I've done it with the other team and against other teams.
"I've never seen the same fans and I didn't say the fans are bad. I love the fans. But I just felt like we were alone. The fans obviously want us to win and they pay our salary. We want to win too, and the frustration got to us.
"I didn't mean to offend anybody, and if I offended anybody, we apologize."
In his apology, Lindor said the gesture was wrong and "does not look good on our part."
The Mets have struggled in August, dropping well back of first in the NL East after leading the division from May until earlier this month. They're 8-19 entering Tuesday.
