New York Mets fans love Keith Hernandez. Which means that New York Mets fans also loved Hadji.
Unfortunately, the former Mets first baseman-turned-broadcaster had some sad news to share on Wednesday, announcing that his beloved cat has passed away at the age of 22.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I must tell you that I had to put Hadji down last week. It was his time to go,” Hernandez wrote on X. “I loved him so much and miss him dearly. He was a great companion for 22 yrs. RIP my little guy.”
It’s with a heavy heart that I must tell you that I had to put Hadji down last week. It was his time to go. I loved him so much and miss him dearly. He was a great companion for 22 yrs. RIP my little guy.
— keith Hernandez (@keithhernandez) November 13, 2024
Hernandez’s affection for his feline companion has been apparent over the years, with the SNY broadcaster frequently working stories about Hadji into his calls of Mets games. As recently as this past season, the five-time All-Star confused the name of one of his former Mets teammates with Hadji’s, while he previously blamed his cat for his iPad going off during a game.
Hadji was regularly featured on Hernandez’s social media pages, where he would post pictures of himself and his beloved cat. The 11-time Gold Glove Award winner also sold licensed merchandise featuring Hadji’s likeness wearing his famous No. 17 Mets jersey.
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Hadji’s passing comes less than one week after ESPN college football and NFL on Prime analyst Kirk Herbstreit announced the death of his dog, Ben, who had been a frequent companion of his at games in recent years. Our thoughts are with Hernandez during this trying time.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.