The New York Mets will likely part ways with pitching coach Dan Warthen, as first reported by Mike Puma of the New York Post on Wednesday.
This comes just one day after reports began to surface about the Mets not renewing the contract of manager Terry Collins after the 2017 season, which would force the team’s longest-tenured manager out of town.
Warthen though is currently the team’s longest-tenured coach, having taken over for Rick Peterson in June of 2008.
But this season has been a disastrous one for Warthen and his pitching staff, though it is difficult to pin a majority of the blame on him.
Entering Wednesday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves, the Mets staff has a 5.01 team ERA, third-lowest in the majors. It’s a shocking stat considering this is a franchise that has been mostly built on pitching and was supposed to ride its arms to another postseason appearance this year.
Instead, injuries swept through the Mets clubhouse once again, ensuring Warthen would never have a healthy starting rotation or all together at any point this season.
The staff’s ace Noah Syndergaard tore his lat muscle less than a month into a season in which he was expected to garner Cy Young Award considerations. It was added stress for Warthen seeing as Steven Matz and Seth Lugo were battling issues during spring training while Zack Wheeler and closer Jeurys Familia were lost in May.
Matt Harvey, who encountered a stress injury in his right shoulder after pitching through discomfort stemming from his thoracic outlet syndrome procedure last year, has been a shell of his former self as his command and velocity are lacking.
It left the Mets to rely on the likes of Robert Gsellman, who is second on the team with 21 starts this season, Rafael Montero, Chris Flexen, Tommy Milone and Tyler Pill.
With the exception of Gsellman in a lower role, none of those arms should be featured in an MLB rotation.
There are a few names emerging to step in for Warthen once he departs.
According to Puma, Mets bullpen coach Ricky Bones and minor league pitching coordinator Ron Romanick are two in-house options. Triple-A pitching coach Frank Viola, who won 20 games with the Mets in 1990, will not be considered for the job which could mean his departure from the club.
Brian Bannister, who is currently the director of pitcher development for the Boston Red Sox, and former Oakland Athletics pitching coach Curt Young also may be considered for the position.
