Sewald rips ‘P.O.S.’ fan after ugly scene
Paul Sewald thought he was past his resentment for Mets fans.
But they brought his fury right back out.
The Diamondbacks relief pitcher, who spent the first four years of his career with the Mets, got in an ugly shouting match with a fan after their 10-5 win over New York on Saturday at Citi Field. And it brought back bad memories for Sewald.
“I thought I had gotten over that. I didn’t come here motivated to pitch against these guys,” Sewald told The Post after the game. “It’s been a while. I think I’ve matured a little bit since the first time we came back in 2022.
“But I get done with the game, and I got some P.O.S. just out there chirping and swearing, in front of kids, at me, and it just reminds me exactly of what I went through while I was here. So it was just a great reminder of my four years here, unfortunately.”
Sewald, who came in to record the final out of the game Saturday, returned to Citi Field for the first time in 2022 when he was with the Mariners. Sewald spent two-plus years with the Mariners after his Mets tenure and before the Diamondbacks acquired him last year, and he played a pivotal role in helping Arizona reach the World Series.
When he returned in 2022, Sewald, who had a 5.50 ERA and went 1-14 with the Mets, said “the fans were not the biggest fans of mine” when he was with the team and that he had extra motivation after they booed him as he was introduced with the Mariners. He also said the Mets, who non-tendered him after the 2020 season, “gave up” on him and he enjoyed getting “revenge” on his former side.
He entered this series without that sentiment, but he’ll leave New York with it.
“Can’t print the stuff that [the fan] was saying,” Sewald said. “Just disappointing he would do that in front of kids. He embarrassed himself. Just par for the course, I guess.
“I also said some things that I probably wouldn’t want printed. It’s just one of those things, it was frustrating that in a meaningless game, I didn’t show any emotion, didn’t feel like I took it over the top for him to do that, just disappointing.”
Sewald enjoyed a career renaissance with the Mariners, and last year with the Diamondbacks pitched to a 3.57 ERA in the regular season and was stellar in the postseason before struggling in the World Series. This year, he owns a 1.23 ERA.
“We were terrible when I was here [with the Mets], so I never really saw the good [in the fans],” Sewald said. “So I guess that’s my tainted point of view, unfortunately. But I wish this team nothing but the best.
“We went to the World Series [with the Diamondbacks], so they were pretty supportive. They’re pretty excited with me, and my addition to the team. It’s been a lot more positive.”