Mets hiring John Gibbons as team’s next bench coach

The Mets have announced the hiring of former Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons as the team’s next bench coach.

As first reported by The Athletic, and confirmed by SNY’s Andy Martino, the team is expected to bring in Gibbons as manager Carlos Mendoza‘s bench coach. Martino also reports that Mike Sarbaugh will join the Mets as their third-base coach.

Glenn Sherlock will also return to the Mets as their catching coach, per Martino.

Gibbons brings an abundance of managerial experience, having coached the Blue Jays for parts of 11 seasons from 2004-2008 and again from 2013-2018. During his tenure, he accumulated a 793-789 record (.501) and guided Toronto to the postseason twice (2015-16).

After the Blue Jays failed to make the postseason for the second straight year following the 2018 season, Gibbons was let go. In his final season, Toronto finished 73-89.

Interestingly, Gibbons has a history with the Mets, having been drafted by the team in the first round (24th overall) of the 1980 draft. He played 18 big-league games in his career (1984, 1986), all with the Mets.

Sarbaugh, on the other hand, served as the Cleveland Guardians’ infield and third-base coach from 2014-21, and again from 2022-23. He also spent time as the team’s bench coach. Sarbaugh will be taking over for Joey Cora, who departed for a position with the Detroit Tigers’ staff.

Notably, Sarbaugh is familiar with Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor from their time together in Cleveland from 2015-2020, during which Lindor won two Gold Gloves.

Meanwhile, Sherlock was the Mets’ bench coach in 2022 under manager Buck Showalter before transitioning to the team’s catching coach for the 2023 season. Sherlock played a crucial role in the development of Francisco Alvarez this past season, leading to his retention as a coach.

With the additions of Gibbons and Sarbaugh, Mendoza’s coaching staff is taking shape. Jeremy Heffner is returning as the team’s pitching coach, while Eric Chavez, after a season as the bench coach under Showalter, has moved back to the role of hitting coach.