Jeff McNeil's Life-Altering Phone Call on the Golf Course
When baseball star Jeff McNeil teed off for an offseason round of golf at TPC Monterey in late December, he was a second baseman for the New York Mets. Walking off the course just a few hours later, his head was – in his own words – 'spinning'. On the 14th hole, he had been traded without any prior warning, abruptly ending his 13-year tenure with the Mets organization.
The Brutal Reality of Professional Sports
This incident highlights a harsh quirk of being a top-level sportsperson in America. In what other industry could you be relocated from New York to Sacramento, from one coast to another, at the drop of a hat? There is no discussion, no involvement in the decision-making process – just pack your bags and go.
'It was kind of like, "woah, what just happened?"' McNeil explained to the Daily Mail. 'I got in the cart and looked at my phone… missed call from my agent, missed call from our GM [David Stearns], a text from our GM, a text from my agent, all in the last 10 minutes.'
'I didn't know my playing partners, it was a little team event tournament… and I just go, "woah, hold on guys, I just got traded." So I call our GM back, he says "you've just been traded to the A's. Wish you the best of luck and thank you." I hang up the phone… wow, I just got traded.'
Thirteen Years Ended in a Blink
Thirteen years of dedicated service, two MLB All-Star appearances, and being the batting champion of the league in 2022 were all concluded with a brief, unexpected phone conversation. So how does one react to such a bombshell in the middle of a relaxed golf game?
'Double bogeyed that hole… my head was spinning a bit,' McNeil admitted during a conversation at the HGV Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. 'Three-putted the next hole, I'm like, "sorry boys, I'll figure this out." Yeah, I got derailed. I remember standing over every shot like, "you just got traded".'
Adjusting to a New Life in California
Now 33, McNeil has moved past the initial shock and is focusing on his new life with the Oakland A's in California. The winter was a whirlwind of relocating, primarily managed by his wife Tatiana, and included a cheeky text from a now-former Mets teammate about renting their New York home.
'We have a house in New York that we bought in [20]22, so it's been a little bit difficult,' he explained. 'My wife flew out there, packed the house up, kind of making my life easier, which is great. We're renting the house to a teammate. I know how hard the living situation is in the big leagues, when you've got to find a place.'
'When I got traded, a couple of hours later my wife actually gets a text. He goes, "hey, is this too soon? Can I, uh, live in your house?" [She replied] "Yeah, no problem... we'll figure it out." So we've got someone living there.'
Embracing a Fresh Start with the A's
For Jeff, Tatiana, and their two children, Lucas and Serena, Sacramento is now their temporary home following the Athletics' departure from Oakland last year. McNeil joins as one of the team's veterans and has already integrated into the roster, with Sports Illustrated praising his arrival as the 'best move the A's made this offseason'.
Speaking in late January, McNeil expressed excitement about joining a new group and revitalizing his career in a different environment for the first time in over a decade.
'I'm going to go a little earlier, meet everyone, talk to a few guys, talk to [manager Mark] Kotsay and the players,' he said. 'It's gonna be a fun year, a lot of learning for me... new organization, new teammates. I'm not great with names!'
'But I think our team is really young, and really exciting as well. I'm not the type of guy to go into a new clubhouse and try and take it over, that's not who I am. I'm a pretty quiet guy. But if one of the young guys needs something or just wants to ask, you know, I'm always there... I wanna do everything I can to help them.'
Overcoming Health Challenges
Last season presented difficulties for McNeil, who faced injury issues early on and underwent a minor procedure for thoracic outlet syndrome at the end. Fortunately, these health concerns are now behind him, and he feels revitalized heading into the new season.
'When I got diagnosed last year, it was a little bit scary,' he admitted. 'The TOS, there's so many different levels of it... really bad and there's very minor. Mine was very minor. It was a pretty easy cleanup. Nothing too crazy. I took about six weeks off, did all the physical therapy, felt extremely good, and I should have no restrictions.'
This recovery has been evident in Spring Training, where McNeil's batting average has improved compared to his 2024 and 2025 seasons, indicating he is ready to perform at his best for the A's.
Only time will reveal whether the Mets will come to regret that life-altering phone call made on the 14th hole.
