Mets castoff Adeiny Hechavarria gets some sweet revenge

Follow the money.

Adeiny Hechavarria was due a $1 million bonus and was designated for assignment just before the deadline to pay him earlier this month.
That’s why he is no longer a Met, the veteran infielder believes.

“It can’t be a coincidence that the day before I was due a bonus it obviously went down. I think the same thing happened with [Carlos] Gomez as well,” Hechavarria said. “It’s hard to believe to say it was a coincidence. But that’s baseball and that’s the business of the game.”

He got revenge in his return to Queens.

Hechavarria set up the game-winning rally Friday night at Citi Field, doubling to the gap in right-center field against Jeurys Familia in the 14th inning of the Braves’ 2-1 victory over the Mets.

Initially, his drive plated Tyler Flowers, but the ball got stuck briefly in the outfield wall. After a review, it was ruled a ground-rule double and Flowers returned to third base, only to score two batters later on a Billy Hamilton single.

Hechavarria, who signed a minor league deal in the offseason with the Mets, admitted he was stung by getting let go, since he was never given the impression his play had disappointed the team. But he didn’t leave with a bitter taste about his time in Queens, either.

“I really didn’t give it too much mind,” he said. “Yeah, not getting that bonus, you feel it. But what can you do? That’s the business.”

Hechavarria had struggled up until that point, striking out three times and letting a Pete Alonso rocket get past him in the ninth inning. But he came up big in his final trip to the plate.

After a fast start, Hechavarria had regressed offensively with the Mets, hitting .175 from June 1 through Aug. 7.

His bat has picked up since he joined the Braves. He has hit safely in six of seven games with five extra-base hits while filling in at shortstop for injured starter Dansby Swanson.

“It means a lot to be honest [to be with the Braves],” he said. “I know it’s kind of weird to say. It feels like I’ve been here for years, just the way I’ve been treated by everyone since I arrived. It’s been great.”