Ex-Mets pitching coach Phil Regan filed age discrimination against his former team: report

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Phil Regan was named the New York Mets' interim pitching coach in 2019 at the age of 82. But he is now claiming he was not retained for the following season due to his age, according to TMZ.

Regan spent over a decade playing for four MLB teams before he moved into coaching. The Mets opted to have Regan take over as the pitching coach after the team decided to part ways with Dave Eiland in June 2019.

In a lawsuit Regan has filed against the team, he claims former Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen informed him that he would not return because he was "too old."

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Pitching coach Phil Regan of the Mets in action against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on Sept. 6, 2019, in New York City. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Attorney Matthew Blit revealed some details on Regan's decision to pursue legal action.

"Phil is the first to crack jokes about his age," Blit said in a statement to TMZ, "however there is nothing funny about a person being told that they are being passed over because their employer wants someone younger. That’s discrimination, plain and simple."

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Three months after Regan began guiding the Mets' pitching staff, the starting pitcher had a 3.06 ERA in September 2019.

Regan did not express any certainty at the time about his coaching future, saying, "At my age, whatever happens, happens." He added, "I’m sure [the Mets] will decide what they are going to do and whatever happens, happens."

Mets pitching coach Phil Regan runs back to the dugout during the Atlanta