Main Photo Credits: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Mets Part Ways With Buck Showalter

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Evan Mazza | Last updated 10/1/23

The New York Mets are about to wrap up their 2023 season today and tomorrow. A season of disappointments and frustrations will end, and the team must return to work this winter. With that, tough decisions will have to be made this winter. One of them is the fate of manager Buck Showalter. With new President of Baseball Operations David Stearns on board, Showalter’s future became much more uncertain. The chances are Stearns wants his guy, and owner Steve Cohen will allow him to do that. Sunday afternoon, one day before the Mets will officially introduce Stearns, New York decided on their skipper.

Mets Part Ways With Buck Showalter

Showalter Out As Mets Manager

Before the game on Sunday, Showalter said he will not be back as Mets manager in 2024. The decision was made by Mets management led by Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler.

BREAKING: Buck Showalter says he will not be back as Mets manager.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 1, 2023

In a statement, Mets owner Steve Cohen says that team leadership “let Buck know we’ll be parting ways.” In other words, this wasn’t a resignation.

“We felt that making a managerial change was the right course of action,” Billy Eppler said in a separate statement.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 1, 2023

Buck Showalter announces that he will not be returning next year and has a message for Mets fans:

“I was honored to get a chance to manage a second New York team and I’m proud of what the Mets did… I wish things could’ve gone better this season because Mets fans deserve that” pic.twitter.com/0cxRnauerZ

— SNY (@SNYtv) October 1, 2023

What’s Next For The Mets After Showalter?

Showalter is out after two seasons as Mets manager and just one year removed from a 101-win season. For the Mets, the team will look to find another manager once again. Post the Terry Collins era from 2011-2017, the Mets haven’t had a manager last more than two years (Mickey Callaway 2018-2019, Luis Rojas 2020-2021, Buck Showalter 2022-2023). Then of course there’s Carlos Beltran’s cup of coffee as manager. None of that is good or enough to win. The Mets will now look to add a manager to bring some sort of longevity. Candidates such as Craig Counsell, Joe Maddon, Gabe Kapler, and Wally Backman are currently available. No matter who it is, it’s up to Stearns and the Mets brass to get it right.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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