How should I feel about this?

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This happened many many years ago but has been on my mind off and on since.

An acquaintance of mine (not friend) from high school and little league baseball was called up to the major leagues (professional baseball). A friend of mine knew him and give him my phone number. He calls me and leaves me 4 tickets for a game. I talk to him before the game and ask if he wants to have drinks after the game with my friends.

He politely says that he is going out with this teammates (translation: "I would rather not").

How am I supposed to feel about this?

On the surface, the anwser is: "He doesn't have to go out for drinks with you. He was gracious to leave you tickets. He is not your friend.".

But look at it from my perspective. If the guy doesn't even want to have a drink with me, do I care this guy is playing professional baseball?

I... He's going out with his teammates. No translation needed. That is an entirely realistic and acceptable reason. Why wouldn't he be? Either he has a victory to celebrate or a loss to console each other over and figure out how to not lose next time. After attending the game with friends, make contact with him and offer to take him to dinner/bar some time he is free as way of showing thanks. If he can't make time for that dinner/drink then he doesn't even want to have a drink with you. Unless there was something beyond him trying to politely explain that team sports are about being a team and on game day/night they often stick close to reinforce the bond.

I realize this is all post facto, I'm just giving a narrative of how I would respond.

If he's recently been called up and is still trying to stop being "that new guy" not so much. Even if that weren't the case, sports teams are autistic style ritualistic with their superstitions sometimes. Some teams you are not allowed to wash "insert specific garment" when on a win streak. Why do you think he got you the tickets in the first place? To show off? Then why not get a free beer to gloat some more? What is the reasoning here?