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Eric Chavez didn’t even work a game as Yankees assistant hitting coach, but is headed across town for a promotion.
The former slugger has agreed to join manager Buck Showalter’s staff with the Mets as hitting coach, according to a source. MLB.com first reported Chavez’s departure from the Yankees for the Mets.
The Yankees hired Chavez last month as assistant hitting coach, only days after Showalter’s arrival as manager. Coaches are generally allowed by teams to leave for a promotion.
Chavez has a close working relationship with Mets general manager Billy Eppler from their time together in the Bronx – as a player and assistant GM, respectively. Eppler, as Angels GM, hired Chavez as a special assistant before installing him as the Triple-A manager.
The hiring moves the Mets closer to filling out a staff that will include Joey Cora as the third base coach and Wayne Kirby as the first base coach. In addition, Jeremy Hefner is returning as the pitching coach.
It’s possible the Mets will employ as many as three hitting coaches this season. Last year, the team fired hitting coach Chili Davis and his assistant Tom Slater in May, replacing them with Hugh Quattlebaum and Kevin Howard. After the season, Howard was reassigned to player development and Quattlebaum remains in the organization as the director of hitting development.
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