The New York Mets are close to naming two-time Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons their new bench coach, reports The Athletic. The team has not yet announced the hire. Gibbons played all 18 of his career MLB games with the Mets, including eight with the 1986 World Series championship team.
Gibbons, 61, will bring a wealth of experience to a dugout that will have a first-year manager in Carlos Mendoza. Mendoza was hired away from the crosstown New York Yankees earlier this offseason. He spent the last four seasons as Aaron Boone's bench coach. Eric Chavez, the Mets' bench coach last year, is moving back to hitting coach.
During his two managerial stints with Toronto (2004-08 and 2013-18), Gibbons compiled a 793-789 (.501) record and led the team to the American League Championship Series in both 2015 and 2016. He worked as bench coach for the Kansas City Royals between Blue Jays stints. Most recently, Gibbons was a special assignment scout for the Atlanta Braves.
A first-round pick by the Mets in 1980, Gibbons played 10 games with the 1984 Mets and another eight games with the 1986 Mets. He retired as a .220/.316/.360 hitter with one home run in those 18 career MLB games. Gibbons was a highly regarded catcher prospect, though his playing career didn't pan out.
The Mets went 75-87 and finished in fourth place in 2023. They hired David Stearns, formerly of the Milwaukee Brewers, to run baseball operations soon after the season. Buck Showalter was relieved as manager during the season's final week and Mendoza was hired earlier this month.
