The New York Mets fired pitching coach Dave Eiland on Thursday and replaced him on an interim basis with Phil Regan, 82.
FILE PHOTO: Feb 21, 2019; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitching coach Dave Eiland (58) poses for a photo on photo day at First Data Field. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports – 12202906
In moves ahead of the series opener at Chicago against the Cubs on Thursday night, the Mets also fired bullpen coach Chuck Hernandez. Ricky Bones, the Mets’ bullpen coach from 2012-18, returns to the job on an interim basis.
“Our goal here is to try to get better,” Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. “As an organization, we want to improve every day. As we evaluated the season so far, we have fallen short of a variety of things as a team, and we all have to look ourselves in the mirror for that shortcoming. We have to make the best decisions we can in this moment to improve our stock.”
Eiland was hired as the Mets pitching coach before the 2018 season, following the hiring of manager Mickey Callaway. Hernandez was hired as the Mets bullpen coach in December.
The Mets’ pitching staff had a 4.67 ERA entering play Thursday, 20th in the major leagues and 13th in the 15-team National League.
Callaway was on the hot seat last month following a five-game losing streak, during which New York was swept in a three-game series by the lowly Miami Marlins. But the Mets won six of their next seven games with Callaway getting a vote of confidence from team management.
The Mets entered the series at Wrigley Field having lost six of their past nine games. In those six defeats, New York gave up a combined 49 runs, 8.17 per game.
Regan pitched for the Detroit Tigers (1960-65), Los Angeles Dodgers (1966-68), the Cubs (1968-72) and the Chicago White Sox (1972). In 551 career games, including 105 starts, he went 96-81 with 92 saves and a 3.84 ERA. He was an All-Star in 1966, when he finished 14-1 with a 1.62 ERA and a National League-high 21 saves.
Regan managed the Baltimore Orioles in 1995, recording a 71-73 record. He also served as pitching coach of the Seattle Mariners (1984-86), the Cleveland Indians (1994, 1999) and the Cubs (1997-98).
Earlier this year, he was working for the Mets as a roving pitching instructor before taking over as the pitching coach for Triple-A Syracuse when Glenn Abbott took a medical leave of absence. He now moves up to the parent club.
—Field Level Media
