Mets, former players remember Davey Johnson as franchise 'guardian angel' after death at 82
Manager of the 1986 World Series champions and a key figure in the club’s history, Johnson is being recalled for his steady leadership and influence on players
Davey Johnson, the manager who guided the New York Mets to their 1986 World Series title and later became a fixture in the franchise’s lore, died Friday at 82, the team said. Players, coaches and ownership remembered Johnson on Saturday as a steadying presence who helped shape careers and returned the club to winning ways.
Johnson managed the Mets from 1984-90 and finished with the best managerial record in franchise history, going 595-417 and recording more victories than any other Mets skipper. His 1986 club won 108 regular-season games and captured the organization’s most recent championship. As a player, Johnson also figures in Mets history: he made the final out of the 1969 World Series that clinched the franchise’s first title.
"Davey Johnson was the greatest manager I ever played for," Darryl Strawberry said in a statement released by the team. "He let us do our own thing. This is a sad day for the Mets and for the 1986 Mets family." Dwight Gooden credited Johnson with taking a chance on him early in his career. "He took a chance on me when I was 19," Gooden said. "Davey wasn’t afraid to make a tough decision. I know I wouldn’t have had the career I did without him."
Keith Hernandez, whose role as the Mets’ first team captain was appointed by Johnson, said, "Without a doubt, he saved my career. He let me be myself on the field. He knew when to be tough and when to take it easier. It was a joy playing for him." Ron Darling also praised Johnson’s influence, saying the manager was a "guardian angel" whose belief helped players succeed at the major-league level.
Current Mets manager Carlos Mendoza called it a "sad day for the organization," saying Johnson transformed the club and put it "back in winning mode." Team owners Steve and Alex Cohen said Johnson brought a "quiet confidence and unwavering belief" to the franchise. Johnson was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.
Johnson spent 13 seasons as a major-league player and managed for 17 seasons, with stints in Cincinnati, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Washington after leaving New York. His managerial résumé and steady leadership have been cited frequently by former players and analysts when discussing the franchise’s successful eras.
The Mets combined the remembrances with routine roster and game updates on Saturday. Mendoza said Reed Garrett, sidelined with right elbow inflammation, could be activated off the injured list Sunday, the first day he is eligible. Garrett had thrown a scoreless inning with Double-A Binghamton on Thursday and struck out two; the club said it wanted to assess the bullpen’s shape before finalizing Garrett’s return.
The team’s offense had a mixed afternoon in Cincinnati. The Mets’ streak of stealing at least one base in eight straight games, their longest since an 11-game run in 2009, continued. Brandon Nimmo’s sacrifice fly extended an earlier stretch of production but his career-high-tying 11-game hitting streak was snapped.
Outfielder Jose Siri, sidelined since April with a broken tibia, played nine innings Saturday in a rehab assignment at Triple-A Syracuse and went 1-for-5 with a home run and three strikeouts. Mendoza said Siri is "getting close," but the club wants to see him play back-to-back games and build up his body before considering activation. Siri has gone 7-for-23 across seven minor-league games during his rehab.
Johnson’s death drew memories of the 1986 season and the broader imprint he left on players and the franchise. Teammates said he balanced toughness with an ability to let players be themselves, a management style that players credited with helping them perform at their best. The Mets did not announce memorial plans on Saturday.