The New York Mets do not want to play Thursday night's game against the Miami Marlins. It seems Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred is trying to make them play.

Video surfaced of Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen talking about contact he had with the league office.

According to Van Wagenen, Manfred suggested the players orchestrate a “walk off” after taking the field, only to come back and play the game one hour later.

 

Van Wagenen also relayed Manfred's assertion that another postponement would be a logistical nightmare after three games were postponed on Wednesday, followed by four more as of Thursday early evening.

The Mets GM can be heard saying Manfred “just doesn't get it” and reiterating his players have no interest in playing a game.

This is going to be a horrendously bad look for Manfred, who has already drawn the ire of the players for tense negotiations regarding the restart as well as his response to multiple outbreaks of COVID-19.

For starters, it is obviously ingenuous.

Multiple black players—including Jason Heyward and Dexter Fowler—removed themselves from the game on Wednesday. New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith gave an emotional postgame press conference. Seattle Mariners second baseman Dee Gordon posted a long thread on Twitter explaining his pain and frustration. These feelings are real for them, not some facade or sham.

Additionally, some players have already criticized the league for not taking action in postponing all games on Thursday, including St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty.

Major League Baseball was also criticized for its official statement regarding postponements, merely saying it “respected” the players' decisions instead of showing outright support.

Rob Manfred will certainly not be making any new friends with this purported stunt.

UPDATE: Van Wagenen released a statement. Additionally, the Mets and the Marlins did not play tonight, with the game postponed. Both teams held a 42-second moment of silence and left the field.