Mets announcer Keith Hernandez apologizes after saying team 'took out all the garbage' at trade deadline

Despite one of the highest payrolls in the sport, the New York Mets have played like … well … the New York Mets in 2026. With the team sputtering in the first half, the Mets engaged in a significant fire sale at the trade deadline, with eight major-league players being shipped out.

Given the way the team played this season, you can't blame some fans for expressing relief that the team dismantled its disappointing roster. But you wouldn't expect to hear that from one of the team's broadcasters.

Keith Hernandez may have taken things a bit too far when discussing the team's moves at the deadline. Ahead of Tuesday's game, Hernandez said the Mets "took out all the garbage" with their deals.

Hernandez immediately seemed to realize calling former Mets players "garbage" was a poor decision, adding a "so to speak" to his analysis after the fact.

And to further hammer home the point that Hernandez felt bad, he apologized for that term before Cleveland Guardians starter Joey Cantillo threw the first pitch.

As Hernandez explained, the Mets got rid of some "very good players" at the deadline. Clay Holmes was in the midst of a great year before he sustained a broken bone in his leg. Relievers Huascar Brazobán, Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver were all experiencing excellent years before being traded as well.

The team also traded starter Freddy Peralta, who did not perform well in his first start with the Tampa Bay Rays.

While Hernandez and the Mets' booth are highly regarded for their ability to evenly call a game and be critical of the team when necessary, Hernandez likely meant no malice with his words. He merely used a poor turn of phrase to describe the team's action at the deadline.

Despite all those moves, the Mets managed to pick up a 6-2 win in Tuesday's game, the team's first since the trade deadline. With the playoffs out of the question, the Mets will play for the future in the second half. That means younger players should get opportunities to prove themselves moving forward.

If the team can find enough young talent to push it forward next season, and hit on some prospects acquired in their deadline deals, the Mets could hop back into contention before long. That's not a bad result for a team that had a lot of "garbage" in the first half of 2026.