Jeff McNeil finally cashed in for winning the 2022 batting title.
The Mets super utilityman received a blue Ford Bronco from Francisco Lindor on Monday, according to McNeil’s agent Joe Longo, as fulfillment of Lindor’s promise made a year earlier.
“I’m happy for Jeff and hope he gives me a ride in spring training,” Lindor said in a text message to The Post. “He deserves it.”
Lindor told McNeil in May of 2022 that he would buy him a car if he won the batting title.
McNeil proceeded to lead the National League in hitting with a .324 batting average.
McNeil exchanged ideas last winter with Lindor on the matter, but it wasn’t until the last couple of weeks that the dialogue resumed.
Lindor told The Post on the final day of the regular season that he planned to follow through and buy McNeil the car.
“It will happen — it’s just a matter of time,” Lindor said on Oct. 1. “In the offseason I have got nothing but time, so it will happen.”
The Mets are expected to move quickly in filling new manager Carlos Mendoza’s coaching staff.
Phil Nevin — a candidate for the Padres’ managerial vacancy — is among the possibilities for the Mets’ bench coach opening, according to an industry source.
Nevin and Mendoza worked together on Aaron Boone’s coaching staff with the Yankees.
Nevin wouldn’t confirm or deny that he was a candidate for the Mets’ bench coach opening when reached by The Post on Monday, but indicated he’s open to the idea.
“If they were to ask, I would do anything for Carlos,” said Nevin, who spent the last 1 ½ seasons as Angels manager.
Mendoza, during his introductory press conference last week, spoke highly of Willie Randolph as a mentor. But Mendoza declined to reveal whether the former Mets manager was a candidate for the bench coach position on his staff.
Jeremy Hefner is returning as the Mets pitching coach and Eric Chavez is returning to hitting coach — he will share the position with Jeremy Barnes — after spending last season as bench coach.
The Mets are close to naming Jose Rosado as their new bullpen coach. Rosado, who has ties to Mendoza from the Yankees’ player development system, was most recently a pitching instructor in Korea.
The Post has also learned that information coach Danny Barnes, whose contract expired last month, will be returning to the Mets.
Vacancies exist for a third-base and first-base coach. Joey Cora, who spent the last two seasons as the third-base coach, recently joined the Tigers’ staff. Wayne Kirby spent the last two seasons as the first-base coach — his contract expired last month.
The Mets signed reliever Cole Sulser to a minor league contract and invited him to major league spring training. Sulser appeared in four games for the Diamondbacks last season and pitched to a 6.75 ERA. He had his best season in 2021, when he pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 60 appearances for the Orioles.
Source
