On July 22, 2022, the New York Mets acquired Daniel Vogelbach in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the Mets sending Colin Holderman to the Pirates in exchange. Vogelbach made his first appearance with the Mets on July 24, going 1-for-3 with a walk.

Vogelbach’s notable moment with the Mets occurred on August 3, 2022, when he hit his first home run with the team—a grand slam off Washington Nationals reliever Jordan Weems at Nationals Park. This achievement made him the 11th Mets player to hit a grand slam as their first home run with the team.

Following his contributions, the Mets exercised their option with Vogelbach for the 2023 season. However, he was subsequently non-tendered on November 17, making him a free agent. Non-tendering refers to the decision not to offer a contract to a player eligible for arbitration, allowing them to explore opportunities as a free agent.

Vogelbach’s time with the Mets showcased his ability to make an impact with power hitting, as evidenced by the grand slam, but also highlighted the transient nature of player contracts and team decisions in baseball.

The description suggests that Daniel Vogelbach became a symbolic figure for the struggles and disappointments experienced by the New York Mets over the past two seasons. The fact that he routinely elicited boos at Citi Field indicates that fans associated him with the team’s challenges and were expressing their dissatisfaction.

In sports, players sometimes become symbolic representations of a team’s performance, and fans may direct their frustrations or disappointments towards them. Vogelbach, in this context, seemed to bear the brunt of fan dissatisfaction, perhaps due to his perceived role in the team’s struggles or as a symbol of broader issues within the organization.

This dynamic is not uncommon in sports, where fans’ emotions can be closely tied to the performance of the team, and players may be emblematic of successes or failures. It’s a unique aspect of sports culture where the relationship between fans and players can become highly charged during challenging periods for a team.