Elite coach's next stop seems destined after Mets' fumble (despite Yankees vacancy)

New York Yankees fans of a certain age remember Antoan Richardson as the Bahamian pinch runner who scampered home on Derek Jeter's walk-off that clinched his final victory at Yankee Stadium. The pitcher? Evan Meek, of course.

The opponent? Unfortunately, the Baltimore Orioles, which seems relevant again today.

Richardson, a journeyman who receded from baseball after his moment in the sun and formally retired from the game in 2017, managed to build a somewhat surprising second life teaching his ways to aspiring base runners. He became a field coordinator for the Giants under Gabe Kapler, taking over first base coach duties at the end of the 2019 season and staying until 2023.

That's when he leapt to the Mets after a San Francisco shuffle, and became something closer to legend than coach. His Mets had the highest stolen base percentage in the game this past season. Juan Soto directly credits Richardson to anyone who'll listen for his 30-30 season and remarkable 38-steal finish. In a season full of spirals in Flushing, he gave his task his all. Every single day.

And, for whatever reason, news leaked on Monday that the Mets would be unable to retain him for 2026, despite reported "mutual interest" in a reunion. That smells. Smells funky. As Andy Martino theorized, the only reason he wouldn't be able to work something out is if he had a pre-arranged opportunity to help a trusted friend somewhere else.

Could those friends be in the Bronx, where first base coach Travis Chapman was recently dismissed and the Yankees' vacancy is hollering, accompanied by blinking red lights? Richardson grew up as "basically a big brother" to Jazz Chisholm Jr., one of the very few Bahamian MLBers. Are these straws I'm grasping at?!

Don't count on former New York Yankees player Antoan Richardson filling vacancy in the Bronx after leaving the Mets

Unfortunately, it seems there's another, likelier outcome, after Martino's update on Tuesday morning. The Orioles seem to be planning (reportedly) to let their first base coach explore other opportunities after hiring Craig Albernaz, who shared the 2021 Giants dugout with Richardson, to be their newbie manager.

Don't blame the messenger, but it seems like — hint hint — the Yankees are going to have to keep searching, rather than bringing in Richardson alongside Desi Druschel's Mets defection.

It's a shame, too. The Yankees already have one "former Mets coach" base coach, and it's ... not the one we'd prefer. Remember when he was gunning to be the Orioles manager? Better days.