In almost every sport, there are bad teammates. There are times when professionals don’t carry themselves as we expect them to when they are in the spotlight. A coworker with a bad attitude can make any workplace into a hostile environment.
We can also say the same about our favorite MLB players. This list will go over The WORST Teammates in MLB that NO ONE Talks About.
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Things may be looking up for Tatis now but no Padres fan or player will ever forget 2022. With the Padres in the midst of a playoff push in mid-August, Tatis would be suspended for 80 games, shutting down any return to help San Diego. This all came out during his rehab assignment to rejoin the Major League team after a motorcycle accident put him on the IL to start the year.
His teammates let him know of their disappointment. “This is the second time we’ve been disappointed with him,” said pitcher Mike Clevinger. “You hope he grows up and learns from this and learns that it’s about more than just him right now.” The Padres would lose to the Phillies in the NLCS leaving a major question in mind on if the outcome would be different if Fernando played.
John Rocker
A rocker might not only be a bad teammate but also just a bad person. John undoubtedly has one of the worst sports quotes of all time when he went on to express his dislike for New York and its residents while being sure to use as many offensive remarks as possible. Just as much as he didn’t like New York his teammates didn’t seem to like him.
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Outfiler Brian Jordan who spent two and a half seasons on the Braves with Rocker would call him a “cancer.” Through the years with more stories coming out about Rocker it’s clear he was never very popular in the locker room.
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson is certainly one the most electric players to ever step on the diamond. He certainly knew it as well as he referred to himself as the “greatest” when it came to stealing bases. That sort of confidence seemed to rub off on his teammates the wrong way though. His obsession with referring to himself in the third person didn’t help either
After Henderson was replaced defensively in the eighth inning in 1999, he walked right into the dugout and into the clubhouse.
Ty Cobb
This is a bit of a throwback, but it’s not every day that one of the greatest players of all time is so disliked by his own team. Cobb had no problem fighting anyone who had anything to say about him or his play. This included teammates, opponents, and in one instance a disabled fan which would land him a 10-day suspension.
When you get a reputation like this it’s no wonder why people in your own clubhouse despise playing with you.
Josh Donaldson
In 2022, when the Yankees took on the White Sox, Donaldosn would at one point refer to shortstop Tim Anderson as “Robinson” referring to Jackie Robinson. This would lead to a one-game suspension by Major League Baseball and a public apology from Donaldson. Usually, when a player has a controversy like this we can see teammates or even a manager speak up and defend their own.
That wasn’t the case for Josh as multiple players on the Yankees would come out and say he was wrong. Even his former teammate pitcher Liam Hendriks would bash Donaldson for his remarks.
Reggie Jackson
The man nicknamed “Mr. October ” is one of the greatest playoff performances ever, but his amazing play seems to be what draws him away from his teammates. It’s almost expected that professional athletes have large egos but most of the time they can keep them in check. It’s the opposite for Jackson as he let everyone know how amazing he was.
He would even go on to refer to himself as the “straw that stirs the drink” when talking about his team.
Yasiel Puig
Puig would take the MLB world by storm as soon as he entered the scene. His enthusiastic play set him apart from the rest of the league and made him a polarizing player to many fans. Many teammates would also share these mixed emotions about Yasiel. “He is the worst person I’ve ever seen in this game,” said an anonymous ex-Dodger.
Albert Belle
Yet another player who almost seemed to enjoy being unliked. Belle had trouble taking any criticism from fans, media, and even teammates. At one point Belle would smash a thermostat in the clubhouse just because it was turned below 60 degrees.
Alex Rodriguez
Rodriguez seemed to be despised by almost every fanbase except the one he played for. Between a number of speculated character issues and the use of steroids, it was understandable. Sometimes that frustration would also rub off on teammates.
Even former MLB and high school teammate Doug Mientkiewicz would sound off on Rodriguez for being distant.
Manny Ramirez
Ramirez was an amazing player but most notably had an even worse attitude. Between faking injuries, assaulting team employees, and even stealing teammates’ belongings it’s no surprise that he wasn’t too popular in the clubhouse.
