The beef Todd Frazier and Adam Eaton share is three years old. It still seems to be in prime condition, but side effects may include selective memory.
The natural rivalry is between the Mets and Nationals, but Frazier and Eaton have made it a bizarre personal feud, stemming from their days as White Sox teammates in 2016. It spilled onto the field Monday night, when the two had to be separated after Eaton grounded into a double play.
Frazier initially declined to discuss the dustup Monday night, but after Eaton ripped him in a postgame interview — calling the Mets infielder “childish” and accusing him of chirping from across the field — Frazier came back with his own side of the story Tuesday before the Mets’ 6-5 walk-off win.
“That’s Adam,” Frazier said, echoing Eaton’s “Just being Todd Frazier” line from Monday night.
“That’s just immaturity,” Frazier added. “If you know Adam, every team he’s been on, you hear what people say, you understand it. … You see a guy like that, the way he plays, stuff like that, not only just back in the day but now, I don’t let things go unnoticed.”
Apprised of Frazier’s latest comments, Eaton belted out a laugh in the visiting clubhouse at Citi Field.
“Man, he’s like an old girlfriend,” Eaton said.
The two seemingly agree that the other is immature. Everything else is up for interpretation.
“He understands where I’m coming from. He knows the past history,” said Frazier, who declined to explain what actually happened. “He’s going to have to take it, that’s it. I’ve said my piece and I’m done with it now, unless something stirs up. That’s about it.”
But that’s where the memory started to fade for Eaton.
“I don’t even hardly remember that year,” Eaton said. “I’ve put all that stuff to bed. I forget what happened yesterday. I think we all have short memories.”
Mets manager Mickey Callaway said he would talk about the incident with Frazier, but didn’t think it was a big deal. Frazier and Eaton were spotted speaking in the outfield prior to Tuesday’s game.
A report Tuesday by 670 The Score in Chicago claimed the Frazier-Eaton feud was partly tied to the saga that involved Adam LaRoche retiring because the White Sox tried to limit his son Drake’s presence in the clubhouse.
Eaton reportedly lamented they had “lost a leader in Drake” and later tried to fill the leadership void after veteran Jimmy Rollins was released. His lockermate, Frazier, called out Eaton for being a phony and questioned his seriousness as a leader, according to the report. Eaton’s locker was later moved away from Frazier’s after the two got into a fight that August, The Athletic reported.
Asked if the LaRoche episode had anything to do with the beef, Eaton said he had “no idea.”
“If he’s bringing it up, why in the world does he not explain it to you guys?” Eaton said. “I don’t know what he’s talking about.”
Former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who never coached either player, didn’t hold back on the divide.
“Eaton, nobody liked you in a White Sox uniform in the clubhouse,” Guillen said Tuesday on NBC Sports Chicago, where he is currently an analyst.
Of course, Frazier wasn’t without his own memory loss. Asked what started Monday night’s episode, Frazier said he couldn’t remember. He could, however, offer some financial advice.
After calling Frazier “childish” Monday night, Eaton described himself as a 30-year-old man with two kids and a mortgage.
“Pay off your mortgage, I don’t know what to tell you,” Frazier said.
The tip was all for naught, though, since Eaton clarified Tuesday he does not actually have a mortgage.
“I have more humility than he does,” Eaton said. “I threw that out there trying to be a human being. I don’t have a mortgage, thank you.”
The two were seen chatting in the outfield pregame, perhaps hashing things out or just discussing old mortgage rates.