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In the aftermath of one of the most epic collapses in modern baseball history, it is natural for all involved to ask, “What should we have done differently”? It is all hindsight of course, because the damage was done long ago when choices were made and the team moved forward towards this ignominious destiny.
I will provide my opinions in three different categories: “Should have” being the strongest without reservation opinions on what would have made things better. “Could have” are those ideas that may have had an impact on the collapse, but we will never know. “Would have” are things that Paul would have done if he was being paid to do what Stearns and Mendoza do.
Should have (past):
• David Stearns should have left Cedric Mullins in Baltimore. Sure, Mullins had a season in his past where he played at an all-star level, and the price was relatively low for a deadline deal, but Mullins was always a redundant solution to the same old problem: defense-only centerfielders. But in this case, Mullins’ defensive credentials only included his range and his speed. For a center fielder, he had a weak arm, and this was exposed in a few critical instances during the fatal final month. I understand that he was a step-in for an injured Siri, but Tyrone Taylor and for that matter Jeff McNeil played better than Mullins in the months after the trade deadline.
• Kodai Senga was considered too valuable to damage, so the Mets tried to be ultra-careful not to overwork him. The Mets should have pushed him into a five-day rotation routine. If he couldn’t hack that, it would have been better to know early that he would not have the stamina to make it through the full season. He got injured and spent more time on the IL than on the field despite all the kid glove handling – and the relievers paid the ultimate price for this.
• Mark Vientos should have been made a designated hitter by the end of April. He should have played third base only in emergency situations. Instead, the Mets justified that he could play there because of adequate performance which would keep his bat in the lineup. This not only hurt the team defensively, but caused a carousel of third basemen between Vientos, Baty, and Mauricio that helped none of them gain proficiency and kept all of them from achieving their potential.
Could have (past):
• The Mets could have called up their young pitchers earlier. With all the injuries and the sub-par performances by the starting rotation, there was plenty of need for guys like McLean and Tong to step up and get some innings, get some experience, and show how they stacked up to MLB hitters. Instead, the Mets rode a struggling Sean Manaea, a tiring Clay Holmes, and Senga right down the slide from “best in baseball” to third worst in the league over the last 90-or-so games. The desperation call-ups of McLean, then Tong, then Sproat was too little too late. They all proved worthy, but without any experience in the big show, Tong and Sproat did not get up the curve quickly enough. Calling them up earlier may have back-fired if they were not ready and had awful experiences, but after burning out one bullpen and buying a new one at the trade deadline, it seems ludicrous that they would not get fresher arms on the starting side.
• The Mets could have played Mauricio more in September. Yes, Baty was playing very well and earned the every-day starter job at third. But Mauricio got virtually no playing time (13 at-bats in 30 days), and looked like he was playing in the second week of spring training when he was forced into action due to Baty’s oblique injury. Mauricio seemed unsure in the field and struggled on any breaking balls thrown his way while at the plate.
Would have (past):
• If I was making the lineup decisions (not sure who really was), I would have hit McNeil higher in the lineup on a regular basis. His hot August (.276/.339/.459) was squandered mostly in the 7th or 8th positions in the order while the lineup cycled through countless iterations of R-L-R-L-R-L batters. I also would not be so anal about trying to disadvantage the other team’s specialty relievers by making sure no two consecutive batters hit from the same side of the plate. Yes, I understand that there are plenty of analytics that drive the highest probability of success from that approach, but those numbers are based on really large samples. Sometimes you just have to go with the hot hand. So if Lindor, Soto, and Baty are crushing the ball for several games in a row, why put colder hitters up in-between to keep them from driving in multiple runs?
• If I was making the pitching decisions (I know this was Carlos), I would also stop using the law of left versus right for every single pitching change. If Ryne Stanek is getting barreled on every third pitch, he is still not the right guy to bring in to create a right-versus-right matchup. Now, if it is a close game and Kyle Schwarber and Harper were coming up, then I would certainly wave my left hand at the bullpen. Otherwise, think about it – a starter is allowed to throw to both righties and lefties for (hopefully) a few times through the lineup. If they can get the opposite guy out, so can a reliever.
Enough hindsight – we can’t change another historical Mets collapse that will go in the books alongside the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The future is the only thing that can be influenced over the next few months’ decisions, so let’s discuss the “should-could-would” actions to set the table for a quick recovery in 2026.
Should do (future):
• Sign Pete Alonso. If he hasn’t opted out yet, he will. He earned the paycheck. We need him back on this team for his bat, his scoops, and his devotion to everything orange and blue.
• Incentivize Edwin Diaz to not exercise his 2026 player option. He still has great closer stuff. Put incentives in his revised contract for every baserunner that he holds on first. Put disincentives in his revised contract for every three consecutive balls that miss by 12” on the arm side.
• Pick up the club option on Brooks Raley. He was one of very few guys that performed every time he came into the game.
• Sign Luis Torrens. He was the perfect guy to back up the oft-injured Alvarez.
• Thank a few guys and send them packing. Starling Marte has had some great years with the Mets, and he showed that he can still hit. However, he had to see limited action to keep him healthy, and that takes a full roster slot for a partial player. Keeping him inhibits the club from making Vientos a DH-only player. Ryne Stanek can still throw 100mph, but when he throws his other pitches, they go 100mph in the other direction. Time for him to go in the other direction.
Could do (future):
• The Mets could re-sign Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill, Max Kranick, David Peterson, and Tyrone Taylor for 2026. The first three had too much injured time to prove their worth, and each showed flashes of brilliance. Peterson carried the club through the summer by eating innings and getting the Mets into position to win. Yes, he faded in the end but if that happens next year, there are plenty of young arms to call up. Taylor is the best center fielder the Mets can field until either Carson Benge or AJ Ewing is ready to challenge. Yes his bat has had its ups and downs, but he’s much better than Siri and Mullins.
Would do (future):
• I can’t really see what is going on behind the scenes regarding pitching and hitting decisions. Prevailing opinion is that the lineup is handed to Mendoza by some combination of Stearns and the analytics guys. His decisions on pulling pitchers have been highly questionable, but it is uncertain how much they are influenced. If I was calling the shots, I would hand him the full responsibility for both and let him sink or swim. He clearly has the support of the players, but if he is not up to making winning decisions for the club (or if he can’t be trusted to), then he is not the man for the job.
• Get a guy in the clubhouse that doesn’t tolerate losing. This could be a veteran player or a coach, but someone has to spark enough emotion in this team to bust out. There was way too much talent for them to play .408 baseball (38-55) from June 13th to the end of the season. Every team has bad streaks, but this wasn’t a streak – it was a mentally exhausting spiral that consumed the team’s resiliency.
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| Jacob deGrom, New York Mets, 2015 Topps Stadium |
2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series. This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic. Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.
Year: 2015; Game #2; Wednesday; Apr 8, NYM 1 @ WSN 2; boxscore; WP: Zimmermann; LP: deGrom; Save: Storen; Time: 02:21; NIGHT; Attendance: 25,999; Record: 1-1; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 1.5; L;
Curtis Granderson RF; 0 for 4; 2 Ks; David Wright 3B; 1 for 4; 1 K; Lucas Duda 1B; 1 for 4; Michael Cuddyer LF; 0 for 4; 1 K; Daniel Murphy 2B; 1 for 4; 1 run; Juan Lagares CF; 1 for 4; 1 K; Travis d'Arnaud C; 1 for 3; 1 RBI; Jacob deGrom P; 0 for 2; 1 K; Kirk Nieuwenhuis PH; 0 for 0; SB; 1 walk; Wilmer Flores SS; 1 for 3; Jacob deGrom, L (0-1); 6 innings; 2 runs; 2 ERs; 6 hits; 1 HR; 2 walks; 6 Ks; Rafael Montero; 2 innings; no runs; 1 hit; 1 walk; 2 Ks;
After an Opening Day win, the Mets couldn't score for Jacob deGrom in a 2-1 loss. The loss moved the Mets to 1.5 games behind the 3-0 Atlanta Braves.
Mike Puma NY Post: Mets, Jacob deGrom outdueled by Nationals. "The Nationals delivered their jolt against deGrom in the first inning and milked it to the finish line. Ryan Zimmerman hit a fastball into the left-field seats in the first for two runs before deGrom and Rafael Montero combined to keep the Nationals scoreless for the remainder....Travis d’Arnaud’s run-scoring single in the second had pulled the Mets within 2-1."
Mets Biggest chance came in the top of the 2nd as they had 4 singles. After Travis d'Arnaud brought in Daniel Murphey, the Mets had runners on 1st and 2nd with Jacob deGrom at the plate. Jacob's bunt was just high enough for Ryan Zimmerman to make a diving catch and keep the runners from advancing. Wilmer Flores, hitting 9th, then singled loading them up but Curtis Granderson struck-out looking to end the threat. Mets only managed 2 singles and a walk the rest of the game.
Mets and Nationals headed to the rubber game of the opening series as Matt Harvey faced Stephen Strasburg, April 9, 2015.
| Tm | W | L | W-L% | GB | RS | RA | pythW-L% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | -- | 16 | 3 | .955 |
| WSN | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1.5 | 3 | 4 | .371 |
| PHI | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1.5 | 4 | 10 | .158 |
| NYM | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1.5 | 4 | 3 | .629 |
| MIA | 0 | 3 | .000 | 3.0 | 3 | 16 | .045 |
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| Bartolo Colon 2015 Tops Stadium Card |
2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series. This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic. Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.
Year: 2015; Game #1; Monday; Apr 6, NYM 3 @ WSN; 1; boxscore; WP: Colon; LP: Scherzer; Save: Carlyle; Time: 02:35; DAY; Attendance: 42,295; Record: 1-0; Standings: 1; Games up/behind: Tied; W;
Curtis Granderson RF 0 for 3; 1 run; 2 walks; David Wright 3B 0 for 4; 1 run; Lucas Duda 1B 2 for 4; 2 RBIs; 1 K; Michael Cuddyer LF 1 for 4; 1 K; Daniel Murphy 2B 0 for 4; Juan Lagares CF- 0 for 4; 1 run; 2 Ks; Travis d'Arnaud C- 2 for 4; 3B; 1 RBI; 1 K; Wilmer Flores SS 0 for 4; 2 Ks; Bartolo Colón P 0 for 2; 1 K; Kirk Nieuwenhuis PH 0 for 1; 1 K; John Mayberry PH 0 for 0; 1 walk; Bartolo Colón, W (1-0) 6 innings; 1 run; 1 ER; 3 hits; 1 HR; 1 walk; 8 Ks; Carlos Torres, H (1) 1 inning; no runs; Jeurys Familia, H (1) 1 inning; no runs; 2 Ks; Jerry Blevins, H (1) 0.1 inning; no runs; Buddy Carlyle, S (1) 0.2 inning; no runs;
Mets get another opening day win as Bartolo Colon beats Max Scherzer. Lucas Duda goes 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs. Buddy Carlyle gets the only Save of his 9 year MLB career.
Kevin Kernan NY Post: Bartolo Colon’s Opening Day perfectly summed up by Matt Harvey. When Terry Collins announced two weeks ago baseball fossil Bartolo Colon would be the Mets’ Opening Day starter, and not Jacob deGrom or Harvey, there was no panic from the Mets. “Bartolo’s got that covered,’’ Harvey said.
Mike Puma NY Post: Mets triumph on Opening Day as Colon beats Scherzer. "Ian Desmond misplayed a pop-up in the sixth, and Lucas Duda followed with a two-run single against Max Scherzer for the Mets’ first hit of the season...Scherzer, in his Nationals debut — he signed a $210 million contract with the club in January — took a no-hitter into the sixth and finished the game with three unearned runs allowed over 7 ²/₃ innings, following two Desmond errors...At 41 years and 317 days, Colon became the oldest pitcher in franchise history to win an opener."
Kevin Kernan NY Post: ‘This is the year’: Terry Collins talks big, offers no excuses. “We have high expectations,’’ manager Terry Collins told The Post. “A lot of it is because we basically went out and got a No. 1 pitcher — Matt Harvey — even though he’s been ours, we got a No. 1 starting pitcher. They’re hard to find.’’
FLUSHING, N.Y., November 22, 2024 – The New York Mets today announced they have opted not to tender a contract to RHP Grant Hartwig, outfielder Alex Ramirez and LHP Alex Young.
In addition, the team has agreed to a one-year contract with RHP Sean Reid-Foley.
All other Mets players are signed for 2025 or will be tendered a contract.
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| Carlos Cortes, Photo By Herm Card (herm4444@gmail.com) |
Certainly there is a big focus on analytics in today’s game. Analytics are nothing more than statistical analysis of players’ past performance that provide a probability of success in their future. This is the epitome of “experience” because it is based upon raw fact and not clouded by the judgement of a scout or a coach that is not calibrated.
If you read much of what I write, you understand that I place a lot of importance on “state of mind” which is to say that a player’s performance is influenced not only by his raw skills but also by that player’s level of confidence in the moment and their focus on the task at hand rather than the plethora of distractions surrounding them. So despite my love of math, I take analytics with a grain of salt. The stats don’t tell you where the player’s state of mind was when they were recorded or where that state of mind will be when the next play will be made.
Why am I talking about all this and what does it have to do with the Mets?
I think it has everything to do with the Mets. In their history, the Mets have had several memorable seasons like we just experienced in 2024. The “Amazin Mets” of 1969, the “Ya gotta believe” Mets of 1973, the “dynasty” of 1986, and World Series appearances in 2000 and 2015 were all memorable. They also were followed by years of misery because the team could not repeat their successes. So one might say that “experience” would have predicted a better outcome than reality gave us.
There are many reasons that this may be true, such as changes in the roster that affected the chemistry, changes in the players’ performance based upon external influences, and the unpredictable variable of the schedule.
So as the front office (and all of us fans) lays out the task ahead to build a team, they should also consider the fact that the past does not always predict the future.
The Mets of 2024 were so much fun to watch and to root for, but would the exact same team perform in the exact same way again? Probably not. Jose Iglesias hit .337 in 270 at-bats this season which was 19% above his career average of .283. Similarly his .829 OPS this year was 17% better than his career OPS of .709. Starling Marte hit .277 in the playoffs because he was fresher than usual in the fall due to missing many games in mid-season. Can we expect him to repeat that at age 37 next year if he plays 150 games? I could go on, but I am just trying to be pragmatic here. A carbon copy of the 2024 Mets would not win 96 games (89 plus 7) in 2025. As a team they over-performed their norm, in part because of the tremendous self-confidence boost they had during their run which became self-sustaining.
Not to disparage a very good team having a very good season and a spectacular playoff run, but the reality is this: David Stearns is going to have to be very aggressive in building this team for the future. I know that he said we have the financial means to do so, but we also have to be very good at luring the talent that is required to become a sustainable playoff team. Juan Soto will need a lot of convincing to leave a team that is playing in the World Series for one that is not. Corbin Burnes will need a lot of convincing to leave a team that is built to win now.
I think that the Mets have shown that they are all-in on building a winner, and that is important. I also know that it takes more than just money to lure the right players to a team that has not displayed a winning pedigree over their history. It is a tall task to push them to the next level. I am confident in the people they have in place, from the ownership to the management to the coaching staff, but it will not be easy.
Much will be discussed over the coming months about the process, and we will all be weighing in with our opinions. Just remember, the past does not always predict the future.
One reason that the team is “only” competitive is that they have a group of starting pitchers who epitomize this team – good but not dominant. We have seen some great performances from the likes of Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea, and David Peterson. Yet we have also seen some real duds from the same group.
None would be SP1 on a World Series team. So you have to expect those games where they hand the opponent an early lead and hope the bats will score enough runs to come back. On Friday and Saturday in Seattle the bats were not there.
Why did the team leadership “settle” on this group and only aim for a “competitive” team this year? They were driven there by the financial realities of prior decisions. The payroll had grown so high that it was compromising the team’s ability to grow.
Draft choices and international signings were being limited by the penalties imposed by the oversized payroll. It was inevitable that the payroll would have to be restructured, and it is admirable that the leadership took quick and decisive action.
Unfortunately, some of the plan to rebuild depended upon the infusion of talent into the minors, which would grow to become a source of team controlled talent populating part of the MLB roster at lower salaries while other high profile free agents could be signed to elevate the team from competitive to dominant.
This part of the plan does not appear to be running smoothly as some of the prospects have struggled through injury (e.g. Drew Gilbert, Jett Williams) and others have not progressed as expected (e.g. Vasil, Hamel, Tidwell).
Christian Scott showed potential to be a solid starter before getting hurt. LuisAngel Acuna got off to a very slow start in AAA but has recently been showing promise. If you watched the Syracuse game that was televised on SNY you could see how his speed impacts the game.
As we are beyond the trade deadline, we accept that this is the team we will finish the season with (more or less). What happens next to position this team for greater things in 2025 and beyond becomes an intriguing debate. Let’s take a look at the current field positions to think about the choices that must be made.
First Base: Pete Alonso is a great power hitter that is struggling this season with his tendency to chase pitches, and that has caused many to suggest that the team let him follow the money in free agency. I believe that would be a mistake. Earlier in this article we talked about the difference between dominant and competitive.
If you let a premier power hitter leave because he had a rough year at the plate and replace him with a less capable but less expensive player you are never going to field a dominant team.
Second Base: The combination of McNeil and Iglesias has been good for this team. McNeil still has plenty of hits in him and is versatile enough to play many positions. Iglesias is a slick fielder that has played well everywhere Carlos Mendoza puts him. Keep both.
Short: We are blessed to have Francisco Lindor on this team. With his leadership, passion, and offensive/defensive skill set he is the kind of player you build a team around.
Third Base: This is a tough one, because Mark Vientos has made a statement with his bat this year. He has also improved defensively. There is no more Baty/Vientos controversy about a roster position, but I don’t think that Mark Vientos is the future 3rd baseman on a dominant Mets team of the future.
He just doesn’t have the defensive skill to hold down that corner. Think about the plays we saw Ryan McMahon make in the Colorado series. Think about Austin Reilly, Alec Bohm, Rafael Devers, Manny Machado, Ke’Bryan Hayes. That is the caliber of player that a dominant team needs at third. We should keep Vientos’ bat, but continue to search for that player. Maybe it is Acuna or Williams or Mauricio.
DH: This is a place where Mark Vientos can contribute without compromising the defense. JD Martinez has been very helpful in New York, and I would hope he can come back as a hitting coach. But let’s play the youngster and get the power from that bat.
As you can see, the path from “competitive” to “dominant” is a difficult journey. You have to eliminate some of the good to get great, and some of the good players will be sorely missed by New York fans.
I think that the biggest impact to the club’s ability to win will come from the pitching staff, but unless they can find more power it will be very tough to win enough low scoring games to give the NY fans the World Series victory that they have desperately needed since 1986.
Good morning.
The future of the Mets remain fluid, especially since we don't know what management is going to do in second half of the season or come October.
The Mets went into Thursday's game ranked for the 7th pick in the 2025 draft. It's even more imperative that they get below the luxury tax penalty. Seventh would be a prime meat pick in a talented draft.
This is my first update to that Blow It Up post that caused all that hubbub and even made Fox News. Must have been a slow news day.
Mark Vientos - wow... what a great return. Amazing what a second reboot can do. I'm still trading Pete Alonso during this season and moving Mark, at least until we see how much Ryan Clifford may be an option here in 2026.
Brett Baty - what a development. This is the second year of bad hitting and, if he played all year, he probably would have led the league in strikeouts. I would send him to Syracuse for a second reboot, but not for an eventual goal of bringing him back to Queens. No, I would move him this year for a chip or as part of a bigger deal.
Jose Iglesias - I would immediately DFA Adrian Houser and bring up Jose. Once acclimated, I would return Baty to Syracuse and let this former all-star and Gold Glove infielder be the backup for all three infield positions.
Second Base - now fluid for 2025. I'm still moving Jeff McNeil, especially now that his trade value is improving with his current bat insurgence. Luisangel Acuña is an option here but he needs to show me more this season.
Outfield - even more fluid. I'm moving everyone other than Brandon Nimmo and Tyrone Taylor. Any hope of Drew Gilbert seem lost due to his ongoing IL status. Acuña also plays center and needs to step it up to be considered an option here. Ben Gamel could be a one year add while they wait for Clifford and Nick Morabito to develop. Helium alert Rylan Thomas. Currently very fluid.
Pen - Changed my mind now on Brooks Raley. Gonna pass on signing him for 2025 due to recent injury.
The New York Mets will host its third annual Military Transition Summit on Saturday, June 24 from 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Citi Field, inviting veterans, active service members, spouses, and organizations to attend.
FLUSHING, N.Y., January 21, 2022 – The New York Mets today announced their 2022 major league coaching staff. Glenn Sherlock will join the staff as Manager Buck Showalter’s bench coach, Eric Chavez will serve as hitting coach, Wayne Kirby as first base coach and outfield/baserunning instructor and Joey Cora will serve as third base coach and infield instructor. Craig Bjornson joins the staff as the bullpen coach, while Jeremy Barnes has been promoted from Director of Player Initiatives to assistant hitting coach. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner will return for his third season with the team.
Glenn Sherlock, 61, returns to the Mets coaching staff for the second time in his career. Sherlock served as the team’s third base coach (2017-2018) and first base coach (2019) as well as the club’s catching instructor (2017-2019). Sherlock spent the previous two seasons on the Pirates coaching staff as their game-planning coach and catching instructor. Sherlock’s major league coaching experience began with the New York Yankees where he served as the team’s catching coach under Showalter (1992, 1994-1995). In 1996, Sherlock reunited with Showalter with the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks and was the team’s catching coach from their inaugural season in 1998 until the end of the 2016 season. Sherlock also served as the Diamondbacks bench coach (2003, 2015-2016), third base coach (2004 & 2014), and bullpen coach (1998-2002, 2005-2013) during his 21-year tenure in Arizona. In addition to his Major League coaching experience, Sherlock spent three years as a manager in the Yankees farm system (1990-1991, 1993) and was the D-backs’ minor league catching coordinator from 1996-1997.
Jeremy Hefner, 35, will return for his third season as the Mets pitching coach. Last season, the Mets ranked ninth in the majors with a 3.90 ERA. Previously, Hefner worked in the Twins organization as an advance scout (2017-2018) and served as the team’s assistant pitching coach in 2019. Hefner pitched in two major league seasons (2012-2013) with the Mets and posted a 4.65 career ERA in 50 games (36 starts).
Craig Bjornson, 52, was Boston’s bullpen coach from 2018-2020. Bjornson played an integral part in Boston’s World Series victory in 2018 as Red Sox relief pitchers posted 1.40 ERA (four earned runs/25.2 innings) in the Fall Classic, the fourth lowest bullpen ERA in World Series history (minimum 20.0 IP). In 2019, Red Sox relievers led the majors with a 10.5 SO/9.0 IP. Prior to his three-year stint in Boston, Bjornson served as Houston’s bullpen coach for five seasons (2012, 2014-2017), winning a World Series in 2017. From 2014-2017, Astros relievers led the majors with a 3.17 SO/BB and ranked second with a 9.62 SO/9.0 IP. Bjornson spent 13 years (1999-2011) as a minor league pitching coach in the Montreal/Washington, Kansas City, Los Angeles-NL and Colorado organizations.
Eric Chavez, 44, played 17 major league seasons with Oakland (1998-2010), New York-AL (2011-2012) and Arizona (2013-2014). He won six consecutive American League Gold Glove Awards (2001-2006) at third base with the Athletics. His six Gold Gloves are tied for the fifth-most all-time by a third baseman. He slashed .268/.342/.475 with 816 runs, 318 doubles, 260 homers and 902 RBI in 1,615 major league games. Chavez earned the AL Silver Slugger Award in 2002 when he smashed a career-high 34 homers. From 2016-2018, Chavez worked in the Angels front office as a special assistant to General Manager Billy Eppler. He also served under Eppler and Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman as a special assignment scout in 2015.
Jeremy Barnes, 34, served as the Director of Player Initiatives for the Mets in 2021. From 2019-2020, Barnes was Houston’s minor league hitting coordinator and from 2017-2018, he was the hitting coach with Tri-City, the Astros New York-Penn League affiliate. He played professionally from 2009-2015, reaching the Triple-A level. Following his playing career, Barnes spent two seasons working for ACT Baseball in Canberra, Australia, as manager of player pathway and coaching development.
Joey Cora, 57, has spent the past five seasons as the third base coach and infield coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2017-2021). In 2012, he was the bench coach in Miami under Ozzie Guillén. Cora spent eight seasons as a member of the Chicago White Sox coaching staff where he was the third base coach (2004-2006) and bench coach (2007-2011), winning a World Series title in 2005. He managed the Mets rookie-level Appalachian League Kingsport affiliate in 2001-2002 and managed Washington’s South Atlantic League minor league team in 2003. Cora began his coaching career in 2000 with Daytona in the Florida State League. Cora owned a career batting average of .277 in 1,119 career games with San Diego (1987, 1989-1990), Chicago-AL (1991-1994), Seattle (1995-1998), and Cleveland (1998). In 1997, he was selected to the American League All-Star team. His younger brother, Alex, manages the Boston Red Sox. A native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, Cora served as the General Manager for Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League for three seasons (1999-2001), winning the championship in 2001.
Wayne Kirby, 57, previously served as the Orioles’ first base coach under Showalter from 2011-2018. Most recently, Kirby served in the same role with the Padres from 2020-2021. Kirby served as the Texas Rangers minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator from 2006-2010. He spent four years as a hitting coach in the minors, all with Cleveland’s farm system from 2002-2005. Kirby appeared in 516 games as an outfielder during parts of an eight-year Major League career with Cleveland (1991-1996), the Dodgers (1996-1997) and the Mets (1998). With the Mets, Kirby appeared in 26 games and scored five runs. Kirby led AL outfielders with 19 assists in 1993.
The Mets are home to play the St. Louis Cardinals. It's game one of the three game series.
Tonight’s Lineup: Jonathan Villar 3B; Francisco Lindor SS; Michael Conforto RF; Pete Alonso 1B; Javier Baez 2B; Jeff McNeil LF; Kevin Pillar CF; James McCann C; Rich Hill LHP (6-6, 3.82)
The Mets are home to play the Yankees. It's the final game of the three game series.
The Mets are home to play the Yankees. It's game two of the three game series.
Tonight’s
Lineup: Jonathan Villar 3B; Francisco Lindor SS; Michael Conforto RF; Pete Alonso 1B; Javier Baez 2B; Jeff McNeil LF; Kevin Pillar CF; James McCann C; Taijuan Walker P;
The Mets are home to play the Yankees. It's game one of the three game series.
