Mets Hire John Gibbons as Bench Coach

The Mets are rounding out their coaching staff, which includes a bench coach with prior managerial experience.

The New York Mets revamped their coaching staff on Wednesday with three new hires, including their new bench coach.

According to Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets are hiring John Gibbons, the former Toronto Blue Jays manager, as their bench coach. This is the second time in his coaching/mangerial career that Gibbons will be a bench coach; he previously was in the role with the Kansas City Royals from 2009 to 2011.

The Mets are close to hiring John Gibbons as their bench coach league sources tell me and @Ken_Rosenthal. Gibbons, the former Blue Jays manager, brings a lot of experience to the dugout next to Carlos Mendoza.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) November 23, 2023

In contrast to Mets’ rookie manager Carlos Mendoza, the 61-year-old Gibbons has managed nearly 1,600 games over two separate stints with the Blue Jays. His total record is 793-789, a .501 winning percentage.

After going exactly .500 in his first stint from August 2004 to June 2008 (305-305), Gibbons was far more successful in his second stint in Toronto from 2013 to 2018. He guided the Blue Jays to three consecutive winning seasons from 2014 to 2016, making the playoffs in 2015 and 2016. This included the 2015 American League East title, and consecutive appearances in the American League Championship Series, losing both. He ended his second tenure with a record of 488-484.

Before being hired by the Mets, Gibbons was a scout in the Atlanta Braves organization. Gibbons also had a brief playing career with the Mets, playing a combined 18 games over the 1984 and 1986 seasons as a catcher, before spending the next four seasons and ending his career in Triple-A ball. He received a World Series ring in 1986 by serving as the Mets’ bullpen catcher.

Gibbons will be replacing Eric Chavez, who has returned to his 2022 role as hitting coach; he will be sharing the duty with 2023 hitting coach Jeremy Barnes.

The Mets also made two more hirings on Wednesday in addition to Gibbons, while bringing another one of their coaches back.

Reported by SNY’s Andy Martino, Mike Sarbaugh has been hired as third base coach; he had spent the past 11 seasons as the third base and infield coach for the Cleveland Guardians. Catching coach Glenn Sherlock is also returning as the team’s catching coach, also reported by Martino; this is considered to be beneficial to Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez.

Per @martinonyc, the Mets will be hiring John Gibbons as bench coach and Mike Sarbaugh as third base coach.

Gibbons last managed the Blue Jays in two stints between 2004-2008 and 2013-2018

Sarbaugh has been the Guardians’ third base and infield coach from 2013-2023 pic.twitter.com/srwF8QD17m

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) November 23, 2023

This is good news for Francisco Alvarez and the pitchers who throw to him.

— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) November 23, 2023

Finally, Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo reported that Antoan Richardson has been hired as the team’s new first base coach. Richardson, a former player from the Bahamas, had previously served in the same role for the San Francisco Giants from 2020 to 2023. 

One other newcomer to the staff will be Mike Sarbaugh at third base. Returnees include Jeremy Hefner, Jeremy Barnes, Eric Chavez and Glenn Sherlock. @WillSammon, @Ken_Rosenthal, @martinonyc, @NYPost_Mets all reported various aspects of this.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) November 23, 2023

Current holdovers from the Mets’ coaching staff are the aforementioned Chavez and Barnes as co-hitting coaches, the aforementioned Sherlock as catching coach, and Jeremy Hefner as pitching coach.