Mets Interview Buck Showalter, Joe Espada For Managerial Vacancy, Don Kelly Bows Out

Things are beginning to heat up.

The Mets are close to concluding their first round of managerial interviews this week, and are set to speak with one more "mystery" candidate on Thursday, as SNY reported this evening. 

Among the names who the team has spoken to thus far, includes Buck Showalter, Joe Espada, Matt Quatraro, Don Kelly and Bob Geren. However, Kelly, the Pirates' bench coach, withdrew himself from the race tonight, per The New York Post.

As SNY went onto report, Showalter talked to Mets general manager Billy Eppler and company earlier today and the meeting was said to have went "well." According to Andy Martino, Showalter has a real chance at landing the gig and MLB Network went as far as to call him the "favorite."

The word is that first round of interviews lasted around five hours with Eppler and his staff. The final stage will be a discussion with team owner Steve Cohen, and New York is hoping to have a hire by next week.

In the meantime, the noise has significantly increased for the Mets to choose Showalter to lead their clubhouse. Newly signed star pitcher Max Scherzer has made it known that he prefers Showalter to be the team's next manager, as multiple sources told Inside the Mets yesterday. And MLB writer Mike Marino revealed that Cohen also recommended Showalter as well.

Prior to the lockout, the Mets spent like drunken sailors on four free agents, which signaled they are in win-now mode. The last step would be to bring in a win-now manager and that individual would be Showalter, 65, who brings along 20-years of experience. The Mets have endured just three winning seasons since 2009, and Showalter has a track record for turning around losing cultures throughout his time in baseball.