Mets selling Zach Lutz to Japanese team

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Zach Lutz who played briefly for the Mets last season and in 2012, is leaving their Triple-A team to go play in Japan, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.

Lutz was the Mets’ fifth-round pick in 2007, but never really got a chance despite hitting .295 with 42 homers and an .870 OPS in 308 total games at Triple-A as a third baseman/first baseman. He spent parts of five seasons at Triple-A, compared to logging a grand total of 37 plate appearances in the majors.

But now at least he’ll get a nice payday in Japan at age 28.

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.