By Agence France-Presse
The New York Mets fined manager Mickey Callaway and pitcher Jason Vargas an undisclosed amount on Monday after their foul-mouthed run-in with a reporter after the team's loss to the Cubs in Chicago.
New York Mets pitcher Jason Vargas celebrates his June 5, 2019 shutout against the San Francisco Giants with manager Mickey Callaway -- both have been fined for foul-mouthed tirades in Chicago (AFP Photo/Jim McIsaac / MANILA BULLETIN)
"The altercation was disappointing," Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said in Philadelphia prior to the Mets' series-opener against the Phillies.
"It is regrettable on many levels."
The team had apologized to Newsday reporter Tim Healey on Sunday night, hours after Callaway accused Healey of "antagonizing" people, unleashing an expletive and ordering him ejected from the clubhouse.
Earlier, Callaway had been irked by questions from several reporters at a post-game press conference questioning his decisions after the Mets squandered a late lead in a loss to the Cubs.
Vargas, who saw Callaway's exchange with Healey, made eye contact with the reporter.
After a testy exchange, Vargas threatened to knock Healey out, firing off an expletive and moving towards him. That prompted teammates Carlos Gomez and Noah Syndergaard to intervene.
While the team statement on Sunday night said the Mets "sincerely regret" the incident, neither Callaway nor Vargas really apologized in pre-game comments on Monday.
"I understand that I can't control the actions or words of others but I can always control my reactions to them," said Callaway, who added that he and Healey had spoken and they were "fine."
"It was a misunderstanding, obviously ... I'm sure there was not malintent by either," Callaway said.
Vargas called it "unfortunate for all parties, an unfortunate distraction... The team's addressed the situation. The organization has made a statement, and that's really all there is to it."