Following the New York Mets’ acquisition of outfielder Cedric Mullins from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, a misleading story spread rapidly on social media claiming that the Mets were unretiring Mike Piazza’s No. 31 jersey for Mullins. This false report circulated widely on X (formerly Twitter), generating millions of views and causing confusion among fans. The rumor is entirely unfounded; Mullins will wear No. 28 instead.

The Source and Spread of the Misinformation

The erroneous claim originated from X user @TooGooden17, also known as Mark Gooden, who posted that Mullins had requested No. 31 and that the Mets had acquiesced. This tweet alone amassed over 2.6 million views by Friday afternoon and was even reported as fact by Detroit’s radio station 97.1 The Ticket. The misleading post represents yet another instance of Gooden disseminating false information for engagement, as he humorously refers to himself as a “three-time Pulitzer Prize winner” for the fictitious National Inquirer.

Rejection of the Rumor by Official Sources

Mets announcer Howie Rose openly criticized Gooden’s hoax on X, labeling him an “imbecile.” The Mets organization has not unretired Mike Piazza’s No. 31, and the number remains retired out of respect for the Hall of Famer. Mullins’ new number for the Mets is confirmed to be 28. Fans are advised to rely on credible Mets beat writers for accurate updates rather than social media posts from unreliable sources.

The Impact of Social Media Hoaxes on Fan Perception

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has previously noted that social media is a “minefield,” a sentiment validated by incidents like this jersey number hoax. Such false reports create unnecessary distractions and misinformation among the fanbase, complicating the team’s communications around roster changes. As the season progresses, avoiding these baseless stories will remain crucial to maintaining trust and clarity between the Mets and their supporters.