By Miguel Rapetti
01 Oct 2023, 11:44 PM EDT
New York Mets manager Buck Showalter will not be part of the team’s roster for the 2024 Major League season after he was fired by the team’s board for the team’s disappointing 2023 campaign.
The first to communicate the news was Showalter himself in a meeting with the media prior to the final game of the regular season against the Philadelphia Phillies, with an announcement that was later confirmed by the Mets themselves.
The person in charge of the announcement was Steve Cohen himself, owner of the Mets, who through a statement thanked him for his work in the dugout since 2021, when he achieved 101 victories that allowed him to qualify for the National League wild card, although they ended up losing to Saint Diego Padres in three games.
“We are going in a new direction, with a new president of baseball operations and we informed Buck that we are cutting the tie. We will begin the search for a new manager immediately,” Cohen commented on the decision.
“Buck is a generational manager and we value what he has done for our team, including a 101-win season and a postseason berth last season. The commitment and heart that Buck brings to the game will be felt in our organization for many years to come,” he added.
The dismissal is also part of the revolution that Cohen intends to achieve for the 2024 season and that began by getting rid of two of his great figures at the limit of the exchange market: Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.
Subsequently, Cohen also decided to create the position of “president of operations” to announce the hiring of David Stearns, who will be positioned above general manager Billy Eppler.
The departure of the Metros boss occurs after in 2023 they finished fourth in the East division of the National League, with a record of 74-86, 29 and a half games behind the leaders and champions Atlanta Braves, despite having the most expensive payroll in all of the Major Leagues.