The New York Mets have hired the Cleveland Indians’ pitching coach Mickey Callaway to be their new manager.
A deal is being finalized on Sunday with the news expected to be formally announced on Monday. Callaway is expected to sign a three-year contract, reported The New York Post.
Callaway will replace Terry Collins, who stepped down as manager after the Mets fell to a 70-92 record this season. He accepted a special assistant position in the front office.
The New York Mets have hired the Cleveland Indians’ pitching coach Mickey Callaway (left) to be their new manager. He is expected to sign a three-year contract. Callaway will replace Terry Collins (right), who stepped down as manager after the Mets fell to a 70-92 record this season
Callaway (pictured, left, with manager Terry Francona, September 2017) has been the Indians’ pitching coach since 2013. The Indians led the MLB in team ERA this season at 3.30. They have finished in the top 10 each of the past three seasons
Callaway has been the Indians’ pitching coach since 2013 and is a former major league pitcher himself. He pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays, the Anaheim Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels) and the Texas Rangers between 1999 and 2004, earning a World Series ring in 2002 with the Angels.
The Indians led the MLB in team ERA this season at 3.30. They have finished in the top 10 each of the past three seasons.
Cleveland finished the season with an American League-leading 102 wins and also led in strikeouts with 1,614, shutouts with 9 and complete games with seven. They finished third with an opponents’ batting average of just .236.
This season Callaway coached Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, both front runners for the Cy Young award that is given to annually to one pitcher.
Other speculated candidates for the job included Mets hitting coach Kevin Long, Chicago White Sox bench coach Joe McEwing, and Seattle Mariners third-base coach Manny Acta.
Callaway pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays; the then-Anaheim Angels, now Los Angeles Angels (right); and the Texas Rangers (pictured) between 1999 and 2004. He earned a World Series ring in 2002 with the Angels
For the upcoming season, Callaway (pictured, right, with pitcher Carrasco, July 2015) will be tasked with keeping the Mets pitchers healthy. Seven pitchers – six starters and one relief pitcher – spent time on the disabled list this season
Despite a World Series run and being named as the team with one of the best collections of starting pitchers, the Mets finished 28 out of 30 league-wide with a 5.01 ERA.
For the upcoming season, Callaway will be tasked with keeping the Mets pitchers healthy. Jacob deGrom was the only Mets starter who went from Game 1 to Game 162 without spending any time on the disabled list.
Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Steven Matz, Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo and reliever Jeurys Familia all spent time on the disabled list.