Former Mets manager and current Los Angeles Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway has been accused of aggressively pursuing five women in sports media, both in person and over text/email, according to a bombshell report by The Athletic.
The story details how over the span of at least five years and while with three different teams, Callaway regularly commented on their appearance and sent three of them numerous unsolicited messages — including inappropriate photos of himself shirtless, and asked one of them to send him nude photos back.
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Additionally, in one instance, he allegedly thrust his crotch near the face of a reporter interviewing him. In another, he allegedly told one of the women that if she got drunk with him he’d share information about the Mets.
Another seven women who have worked in various MLB markets said that, although Callaway hadn't approached them, they'd been warned about him.
“It was the worst-kept secret in sports,” one of the women, who were all granted anonymity, told The Athletic.
When contacted by The Athletic, Callaway wrote: “Rather than rush to respond to these general allegations of which I have just been made aware, I look forward to an opportunity to provide more specific responses. Any relationship in which I was engaged has been consensual, and my conduct was in no way intended to be disrespectful to any women involved. I am married and my wife has been made aware of these general allegations.”
Mets owner Steve Cohen said in a statement Monday night: “The conduct reported in The Athletic story today is completely unacceptable and would never be tolerated under my ownership.”
Met GM Sandy Alderson added Monday night: “I was appalled by the actions reported today of former manager Mickey Callaway. 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.”
MLB said it “has never been notified of any allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior by Mickey Callaway.” The Angels told The Athletic that they were going to "conduct a full investigation with MLB." The Indians released a statement Monday night that they were learning of these allegations for the first time and are "reviewing the matter internally."
The Mets told The Athletic that in August 2018, they learned of an incident that took place before hiring him. A spokesperson said that the team investigated that matter, but didn't reveal the nature of the incident, or the outcome of the investigation. Callaway managed the rest of that season.
Callaway spent two seasons as manager of the Mets before being fired in October 2019. He was hired by the Angels just a few weeks later and has been with the organization since then.
Just two weeks ago, the Mets fired former GM Jared Porter after he admitted to sending explicit text messages and pictures to a female reporter in 2016.
An explosive ESPN report detailed Porter, then with the Cubs, sending unsolicited messages to a foreign correspondent covering MLB.