The goal of the New York Mets is to become relevant again in 2024.
They brought in the young Carlos Mendoza to manage them, hired David Stearns to be their president of baseball operations, and welcomed other key figures in scouting and baseball operations.
However, the bench coach position remained unfilled.
Until the last few hours.
“A source confirms that the Mets have hired John Gibbons, the former manager of the Blue Jays, as their bench coach. @WillSammon and @Ken_Rosenthal broke the story first,” tweeted Mets insider Mike Puma.
Although Mendoza lacks managerial experience, he is well known for being a brilliant baseball player with excellent communication skills.
On the other hand, Gibbons has a ton of experience managing an MLB team.
From 2004 to 2008 and from 2013 to 2018, he led the Toronto Blue Jays as captain.
He led the Jays to two consecutive American League Championship Series (ALCS) appearances during that process, but they were defeated by the Cleveland Guardians and the Kansas City Royals, respectively, in 2015 and 2016.
He played in a few games for the Mets in 1986 and earned a World Series ring while serving as their postseason bullpen catcher.
Gibbons has some coaching experience as well.
From 2002 until 2024, he coached first base for the Jays. In 2009, he was the bench coach for the Royals.
As the Mets look to strike the ideal balance, Gibbons might be the ideal counterpoint to Mendoza.
The team let go of a few excellent veterans, but in 2024 they could be serious contenders if they had a stronger farm system and the funds to sign free agents.