The Mets are finalizing a deal with Jeremy Hefner to keep him in Queens for at least the next season, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Hefner, who is 36 years old, joined the Mets coaching staff in the 2019 offseason to replace interim pitching coach Phil Regan.
Puma reports that the deal will keep Hefner in Queens for at least 2023 and potentially beyond. He also said the Mets have improved and will continue to improve compensation for coaches. Under the previous ownership regime, the Mets were reportedly notorious for paying coaches under market value. Puma says Billy Eppler has received assurance from owner Steve Cohen the team won’t lose any coaches due to compensation.
During his tenure in Queens, Hefner has dealt with a rotation plagued with injury. Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer have missed significant time under Hefner, as did Noah Syndergaard for two full seasons. Carlos Carrasco started his tenure with his share of ailments, too. That’s just the starters.
Even with the injuries, the Mets’ pitching staff finished seventh in MLB in 2022 with a 3.62 ERA. Since 2019, the Mets staff ERA is 10th in baseball, and fifth in FIP. He’s also credited in part with improvements from the likes of Trevor Williams, David Peterson and Edwin Diaz.
The Mets and Hefner have built a strong relationship since he joined the organization in 2019. The club had multiple opportunities to move on from Hefner and decided to keep him. Steve Cohen kept him when taking over the team, and Sandy Alderson decided to pick up his option going into the 2022 season. It has been reported by many that Buck Showalter and Hefner have created a strong working bond as well. Puma says Showalter respects Hefner’s ability to translate analytics to the staff.
