Your Saturday morning dose of New York Mets and MLB news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
We expected there to be some casualties amongst Carlos Mendoza’s coaching staff following the team’s failure to make the postseason, and the ax officially came down yesterday, as the Mets announced that several coaches—including bench coach John Gibbons, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, co-hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh—will not return.
Eric Chavez was one of the coaches who offered some commentary on his firing.
While some of these firings might satisfy the desire for accountability for the 2025 Mets’ collapse, the problems the team faced were also larger than any one coach.
Some of the potential replacements for the coaches who were just fired could come from internal candidates.
Around the National League East
The Phillies are offering a 9-9-9 challenge bundle (eating nine hot dogs and drinking nine beers in nine innings) for fans at games in Citizens Bank Park this October.
One person who won’t be serving as the Braves’ next manager: Mets villain Chipper Jones.
Federal Baseball reviewed the difficult 2025 season for former top prospect Dylan Crews.
Around Major League Baseball
Shohei Ohtani is preparing for his first postseason appearance as a pitcher in Game 1 between the Dodgers and Phillies.
Clayton Kershaw will be pitching out of the bullpen for the Dodgers as they seek to overtake the Phillies in the divisional series.
The Brewers announced that Brandon Woodruff will not pitch in the divisional series and likely won’t be available until a potential World Series matchup due to a lat injury.
George Kirby and Troy Melton will face off against each other in Game 1 of the series between the Mariners and Tigers.
The Cubs announced that Matthew Boyd would be taking the mound in Game 1 against the Brewers.
The first managerial domino of the 2025 offseason has fallen, as the Rangers have signed former Marlins skipper Skip Schumaker to a four-year deal to serve as their manager.
The Giants interviewed former major league catcher Kurt Suzuki for their managerial opening.
A video emerged of Padres players angrily confronting the umpires following the conclusion of Game 3 in the wild card series.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Brian Salvatore wrote about the recent Mets history of clutch Game 161 performances preceding collapses in the final games of the season.
Joe Sokolowski provided the final 2025 edition of This Week in Mets Quotes.
This Date in Mets History
Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel were both given their pink slips on this date in 2010.
