The New York Mets‘ youth movement continued Tuesday night, but another decision regarding it caused almost immediate backlash.
The Mets promoted outfield prospect Nick Morabito ahead of their game against their NL East rival, the Washington Nationals, and he was issued No. 8, which had not been worn by a Met since 2001.
The reason the Mets have mostly kept it out of rotation is in honor of Gary Carter, who helped lead the 1986 Mets to the World Series, although the number has never been officially retired. Carter spent five seasons with the Mets and was an All-Star in four of them after starring for the Montreal Expos.
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With the Mets, the catcher was a fan favorite and an MVP candidate. He played in Queens from 1985 to 1989, and it’s seldom been issued since he left the team. Three players had worn it after Carter, with the most recent being Desi Relaford in 2001.
That changed Tuesday, and it quickly irked fans and even longtime Mets play-by-play announcer Howie Rose.
“There’s been a debate over whether Gary Carter’s number should be retired, but to release it this 40th anniversary season of 1986 just seems wrong,” Rose posted to X.
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The New York Post, however, reported that Morabito will be given No. 55 instead. It was too late, though, to make the change Tuesday, so Morabito took the field with No. 8.
The Mets have honored their former players more since Steve Cohen bought the team from the Wilpons in 2020. Before Cohen’s ownership, only the numbers of Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza were retired, but since Cohen bought the team, six numbers have been retired, with a seventh coming this summer.
But none have been for Carter, who died in 2012.
David Wright, Darryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden, Keith Hernandez, Willie Mays and Jerry Koosman have all had their numbers put up in the Citi Field rafters, and Carlos Beltran will join them this year.
Morabito almost made a spectacular play in left field, but a ball ricocheted off his glove and resulted in an inside-the-park home run for Nats slugger James Wood. He did make a splendid over-the-wall catch in foul territory.
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