Mets GM apologizes for criticizing Manfred over Wilpon's idea

Player protests have postponed multiple Major League Baseball games, but it appears New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen thought commissioner Rob Manfred had different ideas.

In a video accidentally streamed by the Mets, Van Wagenen appears to criticize the league head for attempting to plan a performative walkout involving Mets players and gripes about the scheduling conflicts postponements will cause.

"Baseball's trying to come up with a solution for, 'You know what would be super powerful' - three of us here, can't leave this room - 'You know what would be really great? If you have them all take the field, then they leave the field, and they come back and play at 8:10,'" Van Wagenen seems to say on the video, adding, "And I was like, 'What?'"

When questioned by someone off-screen, Van Wagenen responds, "Rob. And with Jeff, scheduling's going to be a nightmare, and there's so much at stake. And I said, 'Jeff, that's not happening,'" presumably speaking about Rob Manfred and Mets COO Jeff Wilpon.

"They're not playing," Van Wagenen added about the Mets, who have not yet officially announced plans not sit out Thursday's game, slated for 7:10 p.m. ET against the Miami Marlins. "But that's Rob's instinct. And Rob ... at leadership level, he doesn't get it. He just doesn't get it."

The Mets did take the field at their planned starting time - holding a 42-second moment of silence with the Marlins and placing a "Black Lives Matter" T-shirt over home plate before leaving.

Shortly after the protest, Van Wagenen issued an apology to Manfred and clarified that the idea to return to the field one hour later originated from Wilpon.

"Jeff proposed an idea of playing the game an hour later," reads the statement, obtained by Tim Britton of The Athletic. "I misunderstood that this was the Commissioner's idea. In actuality, this was Jeff's suggestion. ... My frustration with the Commissioner was wrong and unfounded. I apologize to the Commissioner for my disrespectful comments and poor judgment in accurately describing the contents of this private conversation with Jeff Wilpon."

Manfred also issued a statement, reiterating that he respects and supports players' decisions to protest:

MLB players, following in the footsteps of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, began protesting games Wednesday evening following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin on Sunday. A few MLB teams have decided not to take the field for games, beginning with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Van Wagenen took over the Mets' GM job in October 2018.