The New York Mets just made some serious moves yesterday, letting go of three key coaching staff members: Director of Major League hitting Jeff Albert, quality assurance coach Danny Barnes, and bullpen pitcher Kevin Mahoney. These guys won’t be back on the coaching staff next season, even though there’s a chance they could stay within the organization. They’ve also been given the green light to chat with other clubs, which is pretty wild this early. Good news for everyone else in the dugout though, because the rest of the coaching crew is set to return for 2027.
Coaching Carousel Kicks Off Early
It’s clear the Mets are looking for a shakeup, especially on the hitting side. According to Anthony DiComo from MLB.com, they’re already planning to interview multiple hitting instructors. We’re talking about folks with all sorts of experience. It’s possible one of these new hires could step into the role Barnes just left, or they might even slot someone in below current hitting coach Troy Snitker. Either way, it signals a serious push to refine their approach at the plate, which could totally change their offensive game next year. What kind of philosophy are they chasing, you have to wonder?
Roster Moves & Playoff Drama Heats Up
Beyond the coaching changes, the Mets are making some player moves too. Bruin Agbayani, who they grabbed for AJ Minter at the trade deadline, just got assigned to the Arizona Fall League. He’s going to be the second-youngest player on that roster, which is a huge look for his development. On another note, SNY has been running their “Stay or Go” series, and their latest piece dug into whether the Mets should bring back Mark Vientos for 2027. Decisions, decisions!
Meanwhile, the National League postseason is absolutely heating up! Yoshinobu Yamamoto was flat-out dominant in Game 3 of the NLDS, outdueling Chris Sale and striking out ten batters. His Dodgers took down the Braves 3-1, grabbing a two-games-to-one lead in that series. The Braves definitely felt it, especially with Ronald Acuña Jr. limited to DH duties due to a sore right knee. It’s totally unclear right now if that knee is going to keep him out of the field for the rest of the postseason. And talk about broadcasters, Kenny Albert called that Dodgers-Braves game because Joe Davis was sick and lost his voice. Wild stuff.
Over on the other side of the bracket, the Padres are still fighting! They barely hung on to beat the Brewers 4-3 in Game 3 of their NLDS, staving off elimination and forcing a Game 4. Michael King, after pitching five innings in Game 2, came back and recorded the final six outs in a gritty relief effort. What a performance! Speaking of pitchers, the Padres are denying Mason Miller was tipping his pitches in the ninth inning of Game 2. They’re even thinking about limiting him to just one inning per appearance going forward, but he wasn’t even available for Game 3 because he was placed on the paternity list. Seriously, what a roller coaster!
So, the Mets are shaking things up, clearly looking to retool behind the scenes. With their coaching staff in flux and a hunt for new hitting talent underway, it’s gonna be wild to see who they bring in to lead those hitters next season. While all this postseason excitement is going down, it’s also a somber time as the Dodgers mourned former GM Fred Claire, who passed away on Monday. He was the guy who oversaw that 1988 World Series Championship team. Similarly, the Guardians are mourning the loss of six-time All-Star Sam McDowell as their series against the White Sox continues. Legends gone too soon amidst all the action.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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