Keith Hernandez had a memorable moment during Thursday’s Mets game against the Rockies at Coors Field, but it wasn’t for his usual insightful baseball commentary.
Instead, the legendary Mets analyst got sidetracked by a peculiar sight in the crowd—a fan dressed as Grimace, the iconic McDonald’s character.
As the game unfolded, SNY play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen noticed the purple-clad character in the stands, jokingly wondering who Grimace might be rooting for, given the Rockies’ purple jerseys. But Hernandez wasn’t as interested in the McDonald’s mascot itself. His curiosity was piqued by the person sitting next to Grimace.
“I want to know, is that Grimace’s date?” Hernandez quipped, referring to the woman sitting beside the costumed fan.
Sensing the potential for Hernandez’s comment to veer into awkward territory, Cohen quickly intervened with a lighthearted remark of his own. “Every Grimace has to have a better half,” he said, gently steering the conversation back on track.
This isn’t the first time Hernandez has made headlines for his unconventional remarks during broadcasts. In June, he raised eyebrows when he expressed admiration for the Texas Rangers cheerleaders during a game in Arlington. His comments didn’t go unnoticed and added to his growing list of memorable moments in the booth.
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Last season, Hernandez also made an unintentionally suggestive comment while analyzing Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk’s hitting against then-Mets pitcher Justin Verlander. “You want to always be erect when you make contact,” Hernandez said, pausing for a few seconds before adding, “Like a telephone pole!” The comment left Cohen and viewers in stunned silence, quickly becoming another classic Hernandez moment.
Hernandez has had other on-air slip-ups as well. Back in 2017, he mistakenly thought the broadcast had cut to a commercial break and made an off-color remark about Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark, who had struggled that day against the Marlins. “Roark’s been getting his tits lit,” Hernandez remarked, a comment that quickly made its way into the annals of SNY bloopers.
As the Mets move on to face the Mariners in Seattle this weekend, fans and viewers alike will undoubtedly be tuned in, not just for the baseball action, but to see what Hernandez might say next. His colorful commentary has become an unexpected yet entertaining part of Mets broadcasts, adding a unique flavor that keeps everyone guessing.
