New York Mets announcer Gary Cohen criticized Chicago Cubs rookie Matt Shaw for missing Sunday’s game to attend the funeral of his friend Charlie Kirk.
Cohen made the comments during SNY’s broadcast of the Mets’ game against the Cubs on Tuesday night, Awful Announcing reported.
As Shaw came up to bat in the fourth inning, Cohen called the decision “weird.”
“I don’t want to talk about any of the politics of it, but 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,” Cohen said.
Fellow Mets broadcaster Todd Zeile agreed with Cohen.
Gary Cohen wasn't sold on the way the Cubs and Matt Shaw handled his absence to attend Charlie Kirk's memorial.
"I don't want to talk about any of the politics of it, but the thought of leaving your team in the middle of a race for any reason other than a family emergency,… pic.twitter.com/D5av7DMJyg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 24, 2025
“It’s unusual. I think it’s unprecedented, at least from my experience as a player. And I think it made it a little bit more unusual that it was not revealed until after it came to issue because he was thought to be in the dugout and maybe available, and then was not, and that’s how it was revealed,” Zeile said.
The remarks quickly sparked backlash online.
A clip of Cohen’s comment was shared on X by Awful Announcing.
“I love the Mets booth; but what a bizarre thing to say. His friend was publicly assassinated.. he attended a memorial. Would the same thing have been uttered if it was a left wing darling? I think not. Shame on you Gary,” one user wrote.
I love the Mets booth; but what a bizarre thing to say. His friend was publicly assassinated.. he attended a memorial. Would the same thing have been uttered if it was a left wing darling? I think not. Shame on you Gary.
— Michael (@catholic_MT) September 24, 2025
“This take is weird. Announce the baseball game, that’s what fans care about. Yeah, the audacity of Shaw to support someone (a friend of his, too) who was shot and murdered in front of his family. The Cubs are pretty much all set too with their playoff positioning who cares,” another wrote.
This take is weird. Announce the baseball game, that's what fans care about. Yeah, the audacity of Shaw to support someone (a friend of his, too) who was shot and murdered in front of his family. The Cubs are pretty much all set too with their playoff positioning who cares
— Isaac (@iTalkStudiosYT) September 24, 2025
Another user added, “Shaw’s good friend was murdered in front of the world and Gary Cohen can’t fathom him missing a….. baseball game…. for the…. memorial service?”
Shaw’s good friend was murdered in front of the world and Gary Cohen can’t fathom him missing a….. baseball game…. for the…. memorial service? ????
— michael j. babcock (@mikejbabcock) September 24, 2025
One person who replied hit the nail on the head, writing, “Some things are bigger than baseball, Gary. You know better, man.”
Some things are bigger then baseball, Gary.
You know better, man.— Sw@mpy (@doobie61913) September 24, 2025
Shaw had missed Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds to attend Kirk’s memorial service.
Kirk’s memorial service was held in Arizona and included remarks from President Donald Trump and other prominent conservatives.
Matt Shaw was not with the @Cubs today because he was attending the funeral of a friend, CC said postgame. pic.twitter.com/s6X57KS54N
— Billy Krumb (@ClubhouseCancer) September 21, 2025
Born in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Kirk was a lifelong Cubs fan.
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