Mets win Bobby Murcer Award for National League fundraising push

The New York Mets were honored Tuesday with the Bobby Murcer Award for the National League, an annual recognition tied to fundraising performance for the Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.). The award was presented before the club’s series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, underscoring how B.A.T.’s mission reaches beyond the field and into the broader baseball family.

B.A.T., founded in 1986, is dedicated to providing confidential support to people connected to the sport when they face medical, financial, or psychological crises. That support extends to a wide range of baseball roles, including players, managers, coaches, scouts, umpires, athletic trainers, front office staff, and even members of historical leagues and participants in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. In the 2026 cycle, B.A.T. also celebrated its 40th anniversary while continuing to track giving by clubs during spring training.

According to MLB’s announcement, the Mets received the NL honor for raising the highest amount in donations among National League teams during the 2026 Spring Training Fundraising Tour. The recognition marks the Mets’ third consecutive Bobby Murcer Award, while MLB reports the Los Angeles Angels earned the AL version for the first time. In the same release, B.A.T. said it surpassed its previous fundraising record for a fifth straight year, with fundraising commitments exceeding the 2025 total by nearly $1 million.

The presentation involved Mets players affiliated with the organization for the event, including Sean Manaea, Marcus Semien, and Bo Bichette, who accepted the award as part of New York’s representation. The team’s honor was presented by Kay Murcer, the widow of Bobby Murcer, along with members of Murcer’s family and B.A.T. board members. Murcer, a longtime New York Yankees outfielder who died in 2008, also served as a former B.A.T. chairman, and the award is meant to carry forward his legacy of assistance.

MLB also provided broader context about what the fundraising tour represents within the sport’s internal support system. The program’s focus is on keeping members of the game from being overlooked once a crisis arrives, an emphasis that has helped the organization scale year after year. B.A.T. said the fundraising in 2026 totaled a record amount, driven by commitments from thousands of people across MLB clubs, including players and staff.

For the Mets, the award functions as an organization-level statement rather than a baseball performance marker. It highlights how clubs can mobilize their players and baseball operations around a shared cause, and it ties New York to the continuing expansion of B.A.T.’s ability to respond to needs that do not always fit the public lens of the sport. Still, it is separate from on-field outcomes and does not directly affect standings or postseason positioning.