According to Tim Healey of Newsday, the New York Mets have interviewed Jim Riggleman, Fredi Gonzalez, Tony DeFrancesco and Bryan Price in their search their new bench coach.
The Mets decided earlier this offseason to move 2018 bench coach Gary DiSarcina to third base coach. The Mets decided they wanted someone with more managerial and National League experience on the bench with manager Mickey Callaway.
Riggleman, 66, was the Cincinnati Reds third base coach to start the 2018 season though he would finish the year as their interim manager. Riggleman has National League managerial experience with the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals. He has a 726-904 managerial record and only one playoff appearance.
The 54-year-old Gonzalez has spent the last two seasons as the Miami Marlins third base coach. Before that, he was the Atlanta Braves’ manager for parts of six seasons. He has a 710-692 record as a manager, with all of the games coming in the NL.
Price was fired in April by the Reds after being hired in 2014. The Reds were his first major league managerial job and they went 279-387 under him. Before becoming the Reds manager, Price was a pitching coach with Reds, Mariners and Diamondbacks.
DeFrancesco, 55, spent the 2018 season as the Mets Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas 51s manager. He has spent 24 seasons as a manager including a short interim stint as the Houston Astros manager in 2012.
