Mets announcer Gary Cohen calls out Jason Vargas for treatment of reporter

New York Mets announcer Gary Cohen called out Jason Vargas on the air Wednesday during his broadcast of the Mets-Phillies game on SNY for the pitcher’s treatment of reporter Tim Healey and subsequent behavior.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway got into it verbally with Healey after Sunday’s game after misinterpreting a comment Healey made. Vargas joined in too and even threatened Healey.

The Mets immediately issued a statement saying they did not condone the behavior. Mets ownership and the front office publicly and privately apologized to Healey, while Callaway did the same. And though Callaway and Vargas were both fined, Cohen pointed out on his broadcast that Vargas had yet to apologize and called out the pitcher for the behavior.

“It doesn’t sit well at the end of the day that somebody can physically threaten someone in his place of work and not have to feel some consequence from that action. My fear is that it leaves a stain and even more so that it gives entree to the next player who feels in the heat of the moment he needs to vent like that to do the same thing,” Cohen said during a discussion of the matter with broadcast partner Keith Hernandez in the third inning of Wednesday’s game.

“Things happen, but you have to know how to deal with those as an adult. … The relationship between players and the media can be contentious at times, but it has to be professional, and it certainly cannot be threatening.”

Below is video and a transcription of Cohen and Hernandez’s comments:

Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez spoke about Jason Vargas not apologizing for virtually an entire half inning.https://t.co/IYeLNGh8ds

— Roger Cormier (@yayroger) June 27, 2019

Here's the conversation between Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez in the bottom of the third inning about Jason Vargas on SNY: pic.twitter.com/GPU7YEDYuh

— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) June 27, 2019

Mets fined him