The New York Mets came into the season with high expectations that they have not lived up to at this point. Former MLB player Jason Kipnis blamed it on a lack of leadership from the Mets veterans, including his former teammate, Francisco Lindor.
Lindor’s wife, Katia, took to social media Friday to both defend her husband and blast Kipnis in return.
Kipnis appeared on the Foul Territory podcast hosted by A.J. Pierzynski earlier this week and claimed that Lindor was not a leader during their time together in Cleveland.
.@TheJK_Kid on the Mets: "All those veterans and no leadership."@aj_pierzynskiFT: "You played with Lindor. Was he a leader?"
Kip: "I'm gonna repeat it again…" 😬 #FTLive pic.twitter.com/I0xiJUtOAO
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 16, 2023
Lindor was asked Friday about the claim by Kipnis, and he defended himself against the comments but didn’t say anything negative about his former teammate.
“I haven’t talked to him,” he said. “I don’t know, that’s just how he feels. It is what it is, I don’t really have much to say.”
Francisco Lindor is asked about Jason Kipnis' recent comments:
"I haven't talked to him. I don't really have much to say." pic.twitter.com/7BAwVxkWvR
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 19, 2023
If Lindor was reluctant to defend himself and respond to Kipnis, his wife had no such reservations. Katia Lindor both defended her husband and bashed Kipnis by calling him a “bully.”
“My husband is such a classy person, would never say what a bully Kipnis was in the clubhouse,” Katia Lindor tweeted. “Sounds like a true leader versus the opposite of a leader.”
My husband is such a classy person, would never say what a bully Kipnis was in the clubhouse. Sounds like a true leader versus the opposite of a leader 🤷🏽♀️ https://t.co/J4gKo3JruM
— Katia Reguero Lindor (@RegueroKatia) May 19, 2023
The MLB world took notice of this comment from Lindor’s wife and offered their opinion on the drama.
When someone is talking behind your back, they are behind you for a reason.
— Athlete Logos (@athletelogos) May 19, 2023
🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 19, 2023
https://twitter.com/genymets/status/1659682114210525192
“Bully” https://t.co/8ANRwwGnO1 pic.twitter.com/ujMPPVS564
— cleveLando (@cleve_lando) May 19, 2023
MOVE OVER NBA WE GOT MLB DRAMA! https://t.co/o8A3VLWglY
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) May 19, 2023
It’s certainly surprising to see the drama between these two considering they played together for five seasons and had some solid team success together. Regardless, it doesn’t look like the animosity between these two is going away anytime soon.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.