Let’s talk baseball. This is a story that’s been bubbling up for the past couple of days, but even if you’re not a baseball fan, a Mets fan, or a Cubs fan, this says a thing or two about the culture and that we’re winning.
We’ll start with a replay from Tuesday night’s game between the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs. Mets announcers Gary Cohen and Todd Zeile can’t believe that Chicago Cubs rookie superstar Matt Shaw would miss a game to attend the memorial service of a close friend, that friend being Charlie Kirk.
Mets announcers Gary Cohen & Todd Zeile mindblown that Matt Shaw would skip a game to attend his close friend, Charlie Kirk's, memorial.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 24, 2025
"The thought of leaving your team in the middle of a race for any reason other than a family emergency really strikes me as weird."
What's… pic.twitter.com/O3vkKTbQ5N
Following Shaw’s decision to miss Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, some in the sports media asked him to explain himself. Shaw said it was "really important" for him to attend the service in Arizona, and that he won’t pay any attention to the reaction to his decision even as his Cubs entered the last week of the regular season in the playoff hunt.
"I felt as though it was something that was really important for me to do," he told reporters, adding that he had the support of the Cubs organization to skip the game. "Having their support was really important to me," Shaw added.
The third baseman said he’s known Charlie since they lived in the same apartment complex in Arizona. He said that Charlie’s widow, Erika, had texted him and invited him to the memorial service.
He said that he and Charlie were often in touch, with Charlie routinely sending him texts after games, congratulating him and wishing him the best. To provide context to reporters for his relationship with Charlie, Shaw said, “My connection with Charlie was through our faith. That’s something that drives me every day. That’s the reason why I’m able to do what I do every day, and that’s something I’m extremely thankful for.”
He also told reporters that "whatever backlash comes is OK."
The backlash, rather, seemed to be aimed at Cohen for his comments instead of Shaw, with some pointing out that Cohen once missed a game due to the death of a pet. Then there’s this, courtesy of Jon Root on X.
Gary Cohen,
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) September 24, 2025
Why wasn’t it “weird” your team did a moment of silence & refused to play to honor George Floyd, while promoting a Marxist organization (BLM)?
I guess it’s only “weird” when Matt Shaw misses a game to attend his friend, Charlie Kirk’s memorial, at the request of… pic.twitter.com/Jm1f4PtyMM
Related: The Most Misinterpreted Part of Trump’s Eulogy to Charlie Kirk
Wednesday night, in another game against the Mets, Shaw had the opportunity to make a statement to Cohen and his critics with his bat, and he did. The Mets announcer had to watch as Shaw went 3 for 4 at the plate, taking his Cubs to a 10-3 win over Cohen’s Mets.
Last night, New York Mets broadcaster, Gary Cohen tried shaming Matt Shaw for going to Charlie Kirk’s memorial.
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) September 25, 2025
Today, Matt Shaw went 3-4 w/ 3 runs & an RBI in the Cubs 10-3 win
Poetic justice 👏
pic.twitter.com/HPJVzgqdUk
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