Chicago Cubs Sign Infamous Mets Reliever Jorge Lopez Weeks After Tossing Glove

Former New York Mets reliever Jorge Lopez is getting a second chance after a tantrum in his final appearance for the New York Mets weeks back caused a stir.

In his last appearance on the major league mound (May 29), Lopez suffered a rough outing pitching against the Los Angeles Dodgers and was ejected from the game after arguing balls and strikes with an official.

READ: Mets Pitcher Jorge Lopez Clears Up 'Worst Team' Comments Following Major Backlash

As Lopez walked off, he tossed his glove out of frustration into the stands at Citi Field. 

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Lopez then reflected on his tantrum in a postgame interview, commenting — in a dense accent — that he gave off the appearance of being a terrible "teammate," which many mistook as Lopez saying the Mets were a terrible "team."

NEW YORK - Jorge López of the New York Mets in action against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on May 29 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

The choppy translation led to Lopez getting DFA's by the Mets, calling his comment and behavior inappropriate. The aftermath of Lopez's departure from the Mets included the pitcher addressing his ‘controversial’ comment and admitting to his broken English as the reason for the misunderstanding. (He was ultimately right, against the misinterpretations.)

Lopez's controversial final game didn't keep him out of baseball for long. Two weeks after the scene, the Chicago Cubs are giving the right-handed pitcher another opportunity, signing Lopez to a minor-league contract, according to The Athletic.

The move by the Cubs was championed by fans who've acknowledged the bigger picture for Lopez as a player. Despite his bitter ending with the Mets, Lopez has overcome plenty of off-the-field concerns. Lopez's son currently suffers from a rare disorder called Familial Mediterranean Fever and is awaiting a transplant. Additionally, Lopez previously took time away from baseball to deal with mental health issues.

Now, Lopez faces potential redemption with the Cubs. Lopez is expected to spend time with Triple-A Iowa before getting called up for another game in the majors. He tallied a 1-2 record with the Mets this season (28 appearances) with a 3.76 ERA and two saves.

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