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Ex-Mets coach Phil Regan, 85, sues club for age discrimination after being dismissed as being ‘too old'

'Instead of rewarding him for his masterful performance he was tossed aside because of his age,' said Phil Regan's lawyer Matthew Blit

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Phil Regan, former pitching coach for the New York Mets, has filed a lawsuit against the team and former general manager Brodie Van Wagenen over alleged age discrimination. Regan claims that he was fired in 2019 at the age of 82 for being "too old."

On Tuesday, February 21, a document filed in Queens County Supreme Court stated that Regan, now 85, assisted in forming the dominant pitching three of then-Mets starters Jacob DeGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Zach Wheeler before being fired due to age-related concerns, according to DailyMail. When pitching coach Dave Eiland was let go during the 2019 season, the veteran major league pitcher and former manager of the Baltimore Orioles was the Mets' minor league assistant pitching coordinator. The lawsuit asserts that the team's pitchers saw a stunning turnaround after Regan's promotion on an interim basis, decreasing their overall earned-run average from a pitiful 4.67 to a respectable 4.24. Nonetheless, Regan's position was discontinued at the end of the season.

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'Age Discrimination is a very scary reality'

The lawsuit claims that Wagenen made the decision to sign 33-year-old Jeremy Hefner in his place "because of [Regan's] age." Wagenen, who is currently employed with Roc Nation, was fired as general manager after Steve Cohen bought the Mets in November 2020.

Regan's lawyer, Matthew Blit stated, "Age Discrimination is a very scary reality. It's one thing when older employees can no longer perform the essential functions of the job, but when they consistently demonstrate greatness, they must be rewarded as any other employee would," according to DailyMail.

Bilt added, "Phil came into an underperforming pitching staff and immediately righted the ship. He helped lower the team ERA and brought the staff back to where it was supposed to be. Instead of rewarding him for his masterful performance, he was tossed aside because of his age."

'Dude just doesn't want to be home'

Various people have voiced their opinions over Regan's choice to file the case. One person wrote, "Hate to see this but Phil will get a settlement and ride off into the sunset." Another person wrote, "The quote about him being too old is extremely bad and, if true, grounds for a lawsuit. But I find it tough to believe anyone was careless enough to explicitly say it."

A third person wrote, "He's just looking for a quick, tasty out-of-court settlement." This other person, who regarded Regan as not wanting to be at home, wrote, "Dude just doesn't want to be home. Give this man a job, he doesn’t want to be around then damn grandkids." Another person wrote, "Drag it out in court for a few years, and the issue should take care of itself."

How was Phil Regan's career?

The Detroit Tigers were where Regan started his Major League career in the 1960s. He continued to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers as well as the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, where he concluded his playing career in 1972. He coached the Orioles in Baltimore for the 1995 season, which was cut short by a strike, and led the team to a 71-73 record.

Furthermore, Regan has worked on a variety of projects for Team USA, the Caribbean, and the Cubs and Cleveland Indians pitching staff. With all of this work, Regan still seemed to have been at his best while playing for the Mets.

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