Former Mets outfielder discusses future of manager Buck Showalter

It sounds like current Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Mark Canha believes incoming New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns should run it back with manager Buck Showalter next season. 

"I love Buck," Canha explained during the latest edition of "The Show" podcast, according to Ben Krimmel of SNY. "Playing for him was amazing and so much fun. And just a great experience. I think he’s such a good baseball mind. The attention to detail on this guy is unreal. And I think any team would be — and it sounds cliché and it sounds like I’m making an overarching statement but — I honestly think Buck could manage any team." 

Canha originally signed with the Mets in the fall of 2021 and played under Showalter from last season up until New York traded the 34-year-old to Milwaukee on July 31. While Stearns, the former president of baseball operations with the Brewers, is keeping Billy Eppler as Mets general manager, SNY MLB insider Andy Martino reported Monday that "it's probably like 50/50 at best for Showalter to come back" for another campaign. 

"Because the way he handles players, the way he handles people in the organization — the analytics group, staff, coaching staff, the way he manages bullpens — I don’t think there’s anything he doesn’t think about," Canha continued while speaking about Showalter. "And it’s amazing because, let’s face it, he’s one of the older guys managing a baseball team right now and the sharpness is like incredible." 

Showalter earned National League Manager of the Year honors for the 2022 season but couldn't fix all that troubled the Mets this year going back to when All-Star closer Edwin Diaz suffered a season-ending knee injury in March. The 67-year-old has a year left on his contract and has been backed by players such as Canha, former Mets outfielder Tommy Pham and current New York shortstop Francisco Lindor. 

Such words may mean little if Stearns wants a new voice in the clubhouse when he takes over next week. 

"I really don’t think he misses anything when it comes to managing a baseball team," Canha added about Showalter. "I think he’s taking into account all of these things, all of the different factors that affect a group of people, he’s just good at doing that…I don’t think he’s part of a problem there or anything like that." 

Showalter also wasn't part of any solution this summer, and that could cost him his job come the first Monday of October.