Mets Rumors: Buck Showalter's Replacement as Manager Won't Be Internal Candidate

The New York Mets are expected to target a candidate from outside the organization as they search for a new manager, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon.

New York chose to let Buck Showalter go following a 2023 season that saw the team finish fourth in the National League East at 75-87.

The Mets have charged David Stearns with charting the course forward. The former Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations assumed the same position with New York, becoming the first to have that title for the franchise.

On Monday, the New York Post's Joel Sherman reported Stearns "is still at a preliminary point" in the managerial search" and "is planning a comprehensive search despite wide-ranging industry belief that he will ultimately reunite with his Brewers manager Craig Counsell."

Sammon wrote Wednesday there's little known about who might be under consideration but provided a rough framework for the possible criteria.

"Sources around MLB have suggested that the new Mets manager should be someone with a history of holding the clubhouse together," he reported. "Also, some have suggested that the Mets need to find someone who can guide younger players and also make sound tactical in-game decisions, considering New York's roster features a mix of experience."

After getting dealt by the Mets ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, Max Scherzer said in August he was told "the team is now kind of shifting vision and that they're looking to compete now for 2025 and 2026."

The organization may not be totally rebuilding, but whoever takes over for Showalter might be building for the future rather than leading a World Series contender in 2024. Whoever is ultimately hired could indicate the front office's short-term priorities.