Buck Showalter not thinking about Mets future after hiring of David Stearns
Mets land is buzzing with the hiring of David Stearns as the team’s first ever president of baseball operations, but what will that mean for the current regime?
We know general manager Billy Eppler is sticking around to work with/under Stearns but Buck Showalter’s future with the organization is still a bit murky. The 67-year-old skipper has one more season left on his current contract and it’s unclear if Steve Cohen and Stearns will want to start fresh as the team enters a new era.
Showalter was asked prior to Tuesday’s game how he handles uncertainty being a manager and he kept the focus on baseball.
“You stay on task and what your job is and follow the lead of the things people know what’s best for the organization,” he said. “I just try and stay, and we as a staff, try and stay on task. These things normally work themselves out if you stay true to the game and what your job description is. It’s about these nine innings and what the players need today.”
After Tuesday’s game, the Mets (65-78) will have 18 more games left in the season. Afterwards, the organization will have a lot of decisions to make including what to do with Showalter.
Of course, Showalter led the Mets to an impressive 101-61 finish last season en route to winning the National League Manager of the Year award in his first year with the club. This season has been the opposite.
While injuries and under-performing stars has a lot to do with the Mets’ downturn in 2023, many cite Showalter as culpable too.
Showalter admitted he hasn’t spoke to Cohen or Eppler about his future, and when asked if he expects to be back next season he, once again, kept it about baseball.
“I don’t think about those things. Right now is about today and tonight. We’re all trying to win in a very competitive business,” he said. “This is not the time and place for my mind to be going there. If you choose to and your job description tells you you should, then God bless you. Go ahead, I’m not going there."
