Fired Mets Coach Breaks Silence After Sudden Exit

The New York Mets made wholesale changes to their coaching staff Friday, announcing pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez, and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh will not return in 2026.

Those aren’t the only changes coming to manager Carlos Mendoza’s staff. Bench coach John Gibbons resigned, catching coach Glenn Sherlock announced his retirement, while assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach José Rosado were given permission to speak to other teams pending the selection of a new pitching coach.

More news: Mets Make Decision About Manager Carlos Mendoza

First base coach Antoan Richardson, strategy coach Danny Barnes and coaching assistant Rafael Fernandez were the only coaches invited back for the 2026 season.

Chavez’s reaction to being let go was refreshingly blunt and surprisingly optimistic.

“I’ve been around long enough to know how things work and there was going to be collateral damage,” Chavez said, via Will Sammon of The Athletic. “To be honest with you, there should be.”

In a post to his Instagram account (relayed by the New York Daily News’ Abbey Mastracco), Chavez wrote, “So thankful for my time with the Mets. Thank you to the Cohens. Best owners in baseball. And especially the players, that group is super special and they worked their asses off. Be grateful in every situation. On to the next!!!”

For fans, focusing on the positive is no easy task after the Mets squandered first place in the National League East in June, then were overtaken for the NL’s final Wild Card berth by the Cincinnati Reds over the final week of the regular season.

More news: Veteran American League Manager Fired After Epic Collapse

Chavez faced his own share of torment. As Mastracco notes, Chavez “had fans doxxing him, threatening him and making some pretty awful comments about his family. But players always said he came to work with a positive attitude every day, and that having a veteran like him around was an asset for them during games.”

Chavez should have little trouble finding a new job. His post-playing career has included stops as a front-office assistant or coach with the New York Yankees (2015, 2021), Los Angeles Angels (2016-20), and Mets (2022-25).

For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.