ESPN had baseball fans scratching their heads and fuming at their keyboards in anger late in the broadcast of a thrilling Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series between the Mets and Brewers.
While the Mets were getting their last chance at bat in a 5-3 ballgame in the top of the ninth at American Family Field, the outlet opted to go to a live interview with Milwaukee’s Garrett Mitchell — who has just hit the go-ahead homer — in the dugout during the middle of an at-bat.
After sideline reporter Jesse Rogers asked a few quick questions, the broadcast turned its focus back to the action in time to see Jose Iglesias fly out to right field.
The bizarre move in such a pivotal moment angered fans, who quickly took to social media to lambast the network for the decision.
“Uh, @espn, you wanna know what is more important than an in-game interview? THE GAME ITSELF,” one user wrote on X. “Amazing to miss a pitch with one out in the ninth of a 5-3 game while lingering in the dugout talking to a player.”
“hi @espn it’s f–king inexcusable to do an interview in the dugout during the ninth inning,” another person wrote.
“So stupid, whoever had this genius idea to interview the guy two outs away from the game being over should be canned,” a third person commented.
Rogers was speaking with Mitchell after he hit a two-run homer that proved to be the go-ahead shot to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday.
The Mets had led for the majority of the game before reliever Phil Maton allowed three runs — on two homers — in the bottom of the eighth.
The two NL squads will duke it out for one final time on Thursday night at American Family Field at 7 p.m.
Jose Quintana is slated to pitch for the Mets and Tobias Myers is ready to go for Milwaukee.