Mets reliever A.J. Minter throws shade at Yankees, accuses their fans of 'not getting baseball'

Newly-minted New York Mets reliever A.J. Minter didn't mince his words just hours after being unveiled as one of the newest members of the Metropolitans. During the Amazin' Day festivities, Minter fired proverbial warning shots to the fans of the team's cross-city rivals, the New York Yankees.

The lefty-reliever was presented alongside former New York Yankees pitchers Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, who swapped allegiances from the Bronx to Queens. While being flanked by players who used to don the famous pinstripes, Minter claimed that Mets fans are the more genuine baseball fans in the Big Apple.

"You can tell these Mets fans, these are truly baseball fans," Minter said on Friday, via SNY. "They get baseball, not like the other side of town."

While the New York City weather is chilly at around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, Minter had some inflammatory words towards Yankee fans when he nearly suggested that the fanbase is of the fairweather variety.

Minter was signed to a two-year $22 million deal by the Mets. The spending spree continues for team owner Steve Cohen in hopes of capturing the first World Series title for the Metropolitans since 1986.

A.J. Minter's MLB career

In his eight seasons in the league, A.J. Minter has not registered any reputable achievements nor all-star game selections. Originally picked in the 38th round of the 2012 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers, Minter was selected again in the second round of the 2015 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves.

He made his professional debut with the Braves as part of its High-A affiliate, the now-Rome Emperors. The lefty reliever spent little time in the minors as he made his MLB debut for Atlanta on Aug. 23, 2017, in a matchup against the Seattle Mariners.

Minter's most productive season was in 2022 when he posted a 2.06 ERA across 75 games with five saves. He holds a 24-29 record with a 3.28 ERA and 26 saves across 384 major league games.