Mets Clubhouse Lunch Incident: David Wright Apologizes To Noah Syndergaard, But Stands Behind Message

New York Mets third baseman David Wright apologized Wednesday to Noah Syndergaard after he confronted the pitching prospect in front of the media Tuesday for eating lunch in the team’s clubhouse during a scrimmage. However, Wright stood behind the message that he and closer Bobby Parnell delivered to Syndergaard.

“I talked to Noah yesterday, that’s the thing I apologized to him for not realizing that, obviously I chose to do it, so it’s not the media’s fault by any means, but I didn’t notice the media was within earshot. So that’s what I apologized to Noah for,” Wright said, according to the New York Daily News. “Now he has to answer questions, I have to answer questions, [Mets manager Terry Collins] has to answer questions, that’s not the way I like to handle things. I wasn’t aware of my surroundings,” he said.

“As far as the content of it, I think that’s something that I think Noah did an excellent job of understanding the situation, he was very remorseful of the situation,” Wright added.

The incident occurred Tuesday as the Mets played an intrasquad game at the team’s spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Rather than remain in the dugout as per team protocol, Syndergaard chose to eat lunch in the team clubhouse. As a result, Wright confronted Syndergaard, while Parnell threw his food in the garbage, according to ESPN. Several members of the media reportedly witnessed the confrontation, including Newsday’s Marc Craig, who took to Twitter to recount the incident.

David Wright and Bobby Parnell got on Noah Syndergaard today eating lunch in the clubhouse during the Mets’ intrasquad game.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

Syndergaard was contrite, but it was not a comfortable exchange. He told me he was stunned when Wright got on him for being in clubhouse.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

Syndergaard actually didn’t seem to know what was happening until Bobby Parnell stepped in.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

As Wright scolded Syndergaard, Parnell took his plate, still piled with food, tossed it into a nearby trash can.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

I asked Parnell about the exchange: “If a kid’s not playing nice, you take his toys away."
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

David Wright told me it was important to say something. “When I speak to somebody, when I get on somebody, the point needs to be taken.”
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

“I understand where David was coming from. We’re playing a team sport. I should be out there supporting my teammates.” Noah Syndergaard
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

Wright never raised his voice. He was smiling thru it. But he was not a happy camper either. Needed to make a point.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

I asked Syndergaard about the exchange: “It was surprising. It kind of caught me off guard."
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) March 3, 2015

Syndergaard took responsibility for the incident Wednesday and said he and Wright had spoken twice “to clear things up.” Moreover, he said Parnell’s actions were not “mean-spirited” and that the closer had a “smile on his face” the entire time.

“It was just really a mistake on my part. It was straight-up ignorance on my part, just thinking I could go in there during a game and grab a quick bite to eat. It’s just a learning experience for me. I should have been on the bench,” Syndergaard said.

“You wouldn’t do it to somebody that we didn’t think could take it or we didn’t think was one of us,” Wright added. “I like Noah,” he said.

The Mets acquired Syndergaard, a former first-round pick, in a 2012 trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. He has spent each of the last two seasons in New York’s minor league system.