Mets officially name ex-Jays manager Gibbons as bench coach

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The New York Mets announced the hiring of former Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons on Monday as bench coach under new manager Carlos Mendoza.

“We connected right away,” Mendoza said. "He’s got that ability to connect people from different backgrounds, not only players but coaches and front office people.

“We were pretty excited to have him. The experience, the knowledge of the game — we feel like he’s not only going to complement myself, but the coaching staff, players, front office people.”

The Mets also hired Antoan Richardson as first base coach, Mike Sarbaugh as third base coach and José Rosado as bullpen coach. Sarbaugh was Cleveland’s third base coach for the past 10 seasons.

The 61-year-old Gibbons, a former Mets catcher, managed the Blue Jays from 2004-08 and 2013-18. He appeared in 18 major league games as a player, all with New York in 1984 and '86, and was a Mets minor league manager, coach and instructor from 1991 to 2001.

Gibbons was previously a bench coach with the Kansas City Royals from 2009-11.

“As we went through this process with Mendy, I think finding someone in that seat who he felt really comfortable with, who had the experience in that role and who he could lean on as you go through the inevitable rollercoasters of a major league season — and those are accentuated when you’re going through it for the first time in that seat — and Gibby has that," said Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns.

"I mean, Gibby’s seen everything, and he’s got a nice presence to him that I think is really going to be a benefit to our staff and help us as we go through this.”

Eric Chavez returns to hitting coach after spending 2023 as bench coach under manager Buck Showalter.

Jeremy Hefner will be pitching coach for the fifth season and Glenn Sherlock catching coach for the second.

Danny Barnes returns as the club’s major league strategy coach and Jeremy Barnes as a hitting coach.

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