Crew chief Jerry Meals acknowledged he had seen this batting-out-of-order play before. In the minor leagues. Thirty-two years ago.
The Mets’ 2-3 batters stepped to the plate in a different order than they had submitted to the umpires before Wednesday’s 2-1 loss in Cincinnati, perhaps the most embarrassing gaffe during an embarrassing stretch for the team.
The order the Mets submitted had Asdrubal Cabrera batting second and Wilmer Flores third. In the top of the first, Flores batted second and made an out. The Reds stayed quiet.
“Doesn’t benefit the Reds to say anything, they already have an out,” Meals told reporters after the game.