Mickey Callaway, who managed the Mets for two seasons before being fired in 2019, has been suspended as the pitching coach of the Los Angeles Angels after the publication of a report that accused him of making unwanted sexual advances to five women who work in sports media.
The report, which was published by The Athletic, included accusations of inappropriate behavior spanning at least five years, during which Callaway was employed by three teams, including the Mets.
Callaway, who was hired by the Angels before the 2020 season, wrote in an email to The Athletic that he would not respond to “general allegations” but that he looked forward to “an opportunity to provide more specific responses.” He said that he had been involved only in consensual relationships and that his conduct “was in no way intended to be disrespectful to any women involved.”
The five women, all of whom spoke to The Athletic on the condition of anonymity, described a pattern of Callaway’s repeatedly sending unwanted emails and text messages, including shirtless photographs. One woman said he asked her to send nude photographs, while another said he thrust his crotch toward her face while she was interviewing him.
On Tuesday, the Angels responded to the report by suspending Callaway. The team said it would support Major League Baseball in an investigation of the accusations against Callaway.
The Mets issued two statements on Monday night after the publication of the report by The Athletic.
“I was appalled by the actions reported today of former manager Mickey Callaway,” said Sandy Alderson, the president of the Mets. Alderson, as the Mets’ general manager, had hired Callaway in October 2017. “I was unaware of the conduct described in the story at the time of Mickey’s hire or at any time during my tenure as general manager. We have already begun a review of our hiring processes to ensure our vetting of new employees is more thorough and comprehensive.”
The other statement came from the team’s owner, Steven Cohen, who was not with the Mets when Callaway worked as the team’s manager. “The conduct reported in The Athletic story today is completely unacceptable,” he said, “and would never be tolerated under my ownership.”
The two reports highlight the difficulties faced by female reporters covering men’s sports. Reporters often obtain the phone numbers of the team officials, coaches and athletes they cover as possible sources, creating the potential for those sources — who hold enormous sway in their sports — to pursue them and send inappropriate messages.
“I was just trying to be nice; he was the manager,” one of the women told The Athletic of her interaction with Callaway.
In an initial response to a request for comment, the Mets had told The Athletic that the team “learned” in August 2018 of an incident that took place before it hired Callaway. The Mets said they had investigated the incident, but did not reveal what it involved or the outcome of their investigation. Callaway continued managing the team for another 14 months.
The Cleveland Indians, for whom Callaway was a pitching coach before being hired by the Mets, said they would review the report’s accusations about his behavior while he worked for the team and then consult with Major League Baseball.
