Mets to interview Kevin Long for director of hitting role, per New York Post

The New York Mets are scheduled to interview Kevin Long about a position on their coaching staff, with the director of hitting role the logical fit, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors reported the details. The meeting is set for tomorrow, per the report.

What happened

Long is not a stranger to the organization. He previously served as the Mets' hitting coach during the 2015 through 2017 seasons, and his name surfaced now because Jeff Albert is moving on after four years in the director of hitting role. Per the report, Troy Snitker is expected back for his second year as New York's hitting coach, which means Long, if hired, would most likely slot into the director of hitting position rather than replace Snitker outright — unless those plans have changed, as Polishuk notes.

The director of hitting role oversees offensive philosophy across both the major league club and the broader organization. Per the report, there appeared to be somewhat more emphasis on the active roster last year, given that Albert was a uniformed member of the 2026 coaching staff. The structure of the role can flex — and the Mets appear to be exploring whether Long fits within it alongside Snitker.

Long only recently became available. Per the report, the Phillies parted ways with the 59-year-old less than a week ago, with two years remaining on his contract. The offseason coaching market moves quickly, and the Mets appear to be moving with it.

Why it matters

Two decades as a Major League hitting coach is a résumé that commands attention. Per the report, Long has spent that time with the Yankees, the Mets, the Nationals, and the Phillies. His career includes World Series rings with the 2009 Yankees and the 2019 Nationals, and several of his stops produced some of the best offensive numbers in baseball during those stretches, per the report.

For a Mets club that finished 74-88 and fifth in the NL East, the offseason priority list is long and the offensive infrastructure is very much part of the conversation. The director of hitting vacancy is a real one, and Long's familiarity with the organization — and, crucially, with at least one current player — gives the interview a clear purpose beyond a courtesy meeting.

Is Juan Soto the reason Long is interesting here?

Not the only reason, but Puma writes that Long and Soto are "close," and that relationship is cited as a selling point in favor of Long returning to New York. Soto was part of Washington's squads during the years Long served as the Nationals' hitting coach. Per the report, none of the hitters from Long's time as Mets hitting coach remain on the current roster, so the Soto connection is the most direct thread between Long's past work and the present clubhouse.

Whether a coaching hire is influenced by a star player's comfort level is a question every front office navigates quietly. The Mets, at least per this report, are not pretending the relationship is irrelevant.

Where the club stands

The Mets finished 2026 at 74-88 (.457), fifth in the NL East and 20 games back in the division. They ranked 10th in the Wild Card standings, 14.0 games relative to the cut line, and were eliminated from both the division race and the Wild Card race. The club enters the offseason on a one-game losing streak.

That record is the backdrop against which every personnel decision this winter will be evaluated. A 74-88 season does not demand a single explanation, but it does demand a serious look at every part of the operation — including who is shaping the offensive approach at both the major and minor league levels.

The roster itself carries its own complications heading into the winter. A week removed from Jorge Polanco's 2026 season being significantly curtailed by Achilles tendon and heel injuries — limiting him to 37 games and 145 plate appearances, per a recent Posterior item — the Mets have real questions about what their lineup looks like next year. Bo Bichette, meanwhile, faces a borderline opt-out decision after a below-average first season in New York, with ESPN's Jeff Passan describing it as a legitimate close call, per an earlier report. And Vidal Bruján elected minor league free agency after being outrighted off the 40-man roster, per a recent Posterior item, a small but telling sign of the roster churn already underway.

Into that environment, the Mets are interviewing a hitting coach with two decades of major league experience and a reported personal connection to their most prominent offensive player. The timing is not accidental.

What we don't know yet

It is not clear whether Long is the only candidate for the director of hitting role, whether the Mets have spoken with other candidates, or whether Snitker's expected return is fully settled. Per the report, the assumption that Long is interviewing for the director of hitting role is described as logical — not stated outright by the club. The Mets have not made any announcement.

It also remains unclear what the role would look like structurally under a new arrangement. The report notes that the director of hitting position can carry different emphases depending on how the club chooses to deploy it, and whether Long's version of the job would mirror Albert's or differ from it is an open question.

What to watch

The interview is scheduled for tomorrow, per the New York Post. Whether it produces a hire — and how quickly — is the immediate next step. If Long is brought on board alongside Snitker, the Mets would have a director of hitting with deep organizational familiarity and a reported relationship with Juan Soto heading into what figures to be a consequential offseason for a club that finished 20 games out of first place.

The broader coaching staff picture, and how the director of hitting role gets defined going forward, will be worth tracking as the Mets work through what promises to be a busy winter.