Mets overhaul staff after missing playoffs despite massive payroll

NEW YORK — After missing the playoffs despite the most expensive opening-day roster in baseball, the New York Mets are starting a large staff overhaul.

While manager Carlos Mendoza will return, the team is moving on from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. Hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh also won’t return, the team said Friday. Bench coach John Gibbons resigned, and catching coach Glenn Sherlock is retiring.

Hefner is being replaced despite some notable success stories, including David Peterson and Sean Manaea.

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Peterson was a 10-game winner in 2024 with a career-best 2.90 ERA. Manaea tied his career best with 12 wins last year and a 3.47 ERA. But that number ballooned to 5.64 in 15 appearances this year, including 12 starts.

Pitching and defense were the biggest problems for a team that went 38-55 over the final 93 games after being an MLB-best 45-24 in June. The offense wasn’t free of blame after the offseason signing of Juan Soto to a $765 million, 15-year deal. The megadeal put the cost for the Mets’ roster at $429 million in payroll and projected luxury tax.

When declaring this week that Mendoza would return, president of baseball operations David Stearns said the rest of the coaching staff would be evaluated.

Assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach José Rosado have been given permission to speak to other teams. First base coach Antoan Richardson, strategy coach Danny Barnes and coaching assistant Rafael Fernandez have been invited back.

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