A clip has gone viral where Drake Baldwin used his bare right hand to grab a foul tip from closer Raisel Iglesias. Although it was an exceptional catch, the clip drew attention for a totally different reason. The A’s veteran at the plate got struck out, and his expletive was unusually clear over the hot mic.

“Come for the Drake Baldwin highlight, stay for the McNeil hot mic,” one X user captioned the clip as he found Jeffrey Todd McNeil’s outburst more entertaining than Baldwin’s bare-hand grab.

The A’s were visiting Truist Park for their sixth game of the season as the Braves bested them with a 5-1 score. It was almost a one-sided game, but the Athletics’ second baseman stole the spotlight in the 9th inning. Iglesias was pitching at 2-2 as he delivered an 87.6 mph slider, which McNeil then swung at and tipped to produce the foul, resulting in his third strike.

As the umpire signaled the strike, McNeil was visibly disappointed and hurled a loud “F-ck” while walking away. And it was clearly audible through the hot mic. People only started to praise Baldwin’s bare-handed catch, but they were immediately distracted by the expletive from the batter.

The specific clip has gone viral with hundreds of shares and reactions on social media. It was a moment of frustration for McNeil as the A’s were trailing 5-1, and it was his last chance to do something for the team.

Jeff McNeil originally signed a 4-year, $50 million contract with the New York Mets in 2023. His poor outings on the plate had the Mets trade him to the A’s in December 2025. His annual salary is $15.75 million, from which the Mets take care of $5.75 million. The deal included a 2027 club option for McNeil. This means he is in his final guaranteed year in 2026.

Hence, it is not a good sign for the 2022 National League Batting Title winner as he has averaged only 0.077 in this season. He has secured only one hit that converted into a run out of his 13 at-bats. 2022 was the last good year in his resume, and McNeil has struggled on the plate since. He has played five games so far, and he hasn’t delivered in any of them.

This isn’t the first fiery demeanor in McNeil’s career, as we have seen a few emotional moments during his time with the Mets. But this time, it carries more weight due to his performance concerns. However, Jeff McNeil isn’t really a standout in the Athletics roster. The team has struggled since Opening Day and lost two back-to-back series.

The A’s early-season struggles suggest that McNeil’s frustration might just be the tip of the iceberg

The A’s have lost five out of six games this regular season, which has cost them both the series. They lost all three games against the Blue Jays, and they managed one win against the Braves. However, they gave the 2025 World Series runners-up a good run for their money in each outing. But the defeats against Atlanta were poor shows.

In the two defeats, they managed just 11 hits and recorded only 1 run. The pitching wasn’t too convincing either, as they allowed 11 runs against the Braves while Toronto scored 16 runs.

The Athletics haven’t made it to the playoffs since 2020. Although Athletics performance has seen an upward trend with 69 and 76 wins in the last two years, they have been stuck in the bottom half of the AL West.

The team has struggled with inconsistent pitching and weak run support, barring them from an October run in the last five seasons. 2025 was the best season since their 2021 season, but they still registered more losses than wins. And 2026, so far, hasn’t shown any improvements.

McNeil’s outburst might not be a result of only his failures. It might be a snapshot of the overall team frustration. The Athletics are struggling collectively, and pointing at individuals might not solve the problem for them.

If a veteran like Jeff McNeil can step up and play a more leadership role, the team might improve its performance in the upcoming games. But the soon-to-be 34-year-old has to improve his performance first.