Both NY Mets hitting coaches are candidates to reunite with players from their past

The New York Mets basically rebuilt the entire hitting chain of command with one clear idea in mind: get everyone speaking the same language, fast.

That’s what the Jeff Albert promotion + Troy Snitker hire is really about. Albert is now running the major-league hitting program, and Snitker is coming in as the day-to-day hitting coach under him, replacing the old co-hitting coach setup. 

And here’s the part that’s going to matter immediately for how this roster gets finished: both guys have “I’ve worked with that dude” connections with the kinds of hitters the Mets are currently circling.

Mets’ hitting coach shuffle comes with a revealing reunion twist

Snitker spent seven seasons as one of Houston’s hitting coaches. That matters because Kyle Tucker is the exact type of star whose comfort level can tip a decision when money is already absurd and the pressure is already loud.

And the Mets’ pursuit is loud. If you’re the Mets, the pitch is clean: come here, play for a staff that already understands your swing, your routines, and your expectations — and do it in a lineup that’s trying to bludgeon the league.

However, familiarity is a tiebreaker, not a plan. If Tucker chooses Queens, it’ll be because the Mets gave him the best combination of dollars, years, and win-now comfort. Snitker helps — he doesn’t replace the actual work of building a complete lineup.

The Paul Goldschmidt angle is also fascinating. Albert previously served as the Cardinals’ hitting coach for four seasons. So if the Mets really pivot toward the rumored first-base idea floating around — a Jorge Polanco/Paul Goldschmidt platoon — that’s another reunion built on trust and shared history. 

Sure, you can sell it. Goldschmidt mashed lefties last year (.336/.411/.570 in 168 plate appearances), which makes the “part-time weapon” argument easy. But if this is where the Mets land after losing Pete Alonso, it’s not really “smart roster creativity.” 

MLB.com noted the Mets were already sixth in MLB in OPS and tied for ninth in runs per game.  That’s why this offseason can’t be a self-congratulatory “we fixed the process” lap.

If you lose Alonso’s thump, you don’t replace it with a concept. You replace it with impact.

The Mets now have a hitting plan that can create alignment, buy-in, and continuity. But if the endgame is “Tucker, please save us” while first base becomes a rotating science project, the reunion tour starts feeling less like strategy… and more like a front office trying to talk itself into being comfortable.