Mets' Managerial Search Update: Quatraro Interviewed, Espada, Showalter Up Next
One down, two more to go.
After the Mets interviewed Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro for the second-round of the process on Tuesday evening (according to The New York Post), they are set to speak with the other two finalists in the coming days.
Astros bench coach Joe Espada is due up next on Thursday and last but not least, Buck Showalter, the current favorite will go on Friday, as a source confirmed to Inside the Mets. ESPN first reported the scheduled order of Espada and Showalter's second-round interview.
Mets owner Steve Cohen will be involved in this stage of the process and the team is hoping to make a decision by later in the week or next week.
With the last interview scheduled for Friday, it appears more likely that a hire will not be made until sometime next week.
On Dec. 7, Inside the Mets first reported that star pitcher Max Scherzer has made it known that he prefers Showalter to be the team's next manager. However, general manager Billy Eppler is said to really like Espada.
Espada was a special assistant to Yankees GM Brian Cashman back in 2014, while Eppler was serving as their assistant GM at the time. Espada, 46, then moved to Joe Girardi's staff to become the Yankees' third base coach from 2015-2017.
In 2018, Espada was hired by Houston to replace Alex Cora as the team's bench coach and he has been in this role ever since.
Espada and Quatraro have both interviewed for the Oakland Athletics' managerial vacancy as well.
As for Showalter, 65, he is the frontrunner to land the Mets' job and comes along with 20-years of managerial experience with the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Orioles.
Showalter led three out of four teams to the postseason during his time as skipper. But while Showalter has an impressive track record, he has never managed in a World Series. The last box for him to check would be winning a ring, which is something the Mets are trying to do under Cohen, who pledged his goal of bringing a title home to Queens within the first 3-5 years of his tenure.
The Mets are about to hire their fourth manager in the last five years, which is why they appear to be leaning towards a more experienced candidate like Showalter.
Before chopping down the list to three finalists, the Mets also interviewed ex-Angels and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, Pirates bench coach Don Kelly (bowed out), Dodgers bench coach Bob Geren and Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough.
