https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6769109/2025/11/01/mets-pitching-coach-justin-willard/
The New York Mets are closing in on their search for a new pitching coach with Justin Willard emerging as the favorite, league sources told The Athletic.
Willard, 35, is the Boston Red Sox director of pitching and holds several years of experience in pitching development. He joined the Red Sox in November 2023. Previously, Willard spent a handful of years as a minor-league coach and coordinator with the Minnesota Twins.
With the Red Sox, Willard spent a lot of time working with pitching coach Andrew Bailey, breaking down video and data (biomechanical, pitch movement, etc.) to boost pitchers’ results.
Willard’s experience would come in handy in New York. The Mets’ rotation is set to feature Nolan McLean, who emerged last summer as a top starter. Other promising prospects such as Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong debuted as well last summer and could also factor into the Mets’ rotation plans.
Willard would replace Jeremy Hefner, who had been with the Mets for six seasons. Hefner was integral in modernizing the organization’s pitching development infrastructure. Under Hefner, the Mets got off to a strong start in 2025, but things went awry over the final three and a half months, and the coach was unable to piece it back together.
The failures of Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea, especially, undercut the Mets’ postseason chances in 2025.
27 comments
Steams has officially assembled his group of 35 years old nerds
Steams has officially assembled his group of 35 years old nerds
Steams has officially assembled his team of 35 year old nerds.
Officially, Steams has assembled his group of 35 years old nerds
Sterns has officially assembled his cadre of 35 year old nerds
Steams has officially assembled his group of 35 year old nerds
Stearns hath at last assembled his regiment of five and thirty years’ seasoned scholars
These new hires make it clear stearns is running this team and Mendoza is a lame duck
Steans has officially assembled his posse of 35 year old nerds.
Nerds, aged 35, have been assembled by David Stearns. Officially, of course.
I have just one question: has Sterns officially assembled his team of 35-year-old nerds, or not?
This is an interesting comments section.
Man there’s really a lot of different and original opinions in these comments
Lotta 35 year old nerd thoughts here. I’m interested if this “nerd” is any good, cause we sorta need him to be.
What is this comment section?
Expertise in an area, combined with a deep knowledge of a subject, plus years of experience =
nerd
No wonder we are losers
The f is going on here?
https://preview.redd.it/ueleflx89qyf1.png?width=1008&format=png&auto=webp&s=243d6877583460ada30f74ef603aa20868370de8
Steamed hams got the 35-year-old nerd.
Steans has officially assembled his harem of 35 year old nerds.
Steans has officially assembled his harem of 35 year old nerds.
If it’s all bots think about how invested in this team you got to be to create a script just for that.
I would just love for the staff to get their walks down. Just throw fucking strikes, ya know?
As a 38 year old nerd, I’m disappointed to learn that I’m too old to even be noticed by bot farms anymore.
Guys, there is no bot farm. Someone accidentally double posted this comment and we all made fun of it by copying it. But I find it hilarious that now everyone thinks we’re bots.
LOL people shat on that guy that leaked this he was actually right
Can he throw the heater?
Probably the most important new hire of the offseason. This person needs to eliminate the Mets starters & bullpen constant high numbers of giving up walks. Too many years under Hefner the team was constantly walking the ballpark which could finally be
spotlighted in the NLCS against the Dodgers. Walks kill in the postseason and regular season how many times have we lost a game from a rally which was started from a lead off walk