MLB Insider: Top Manager Could Reunite With David Stearns

New York Mets manager Buck Showalter is entering the final year of his contract, and while he could return after a down season, there could be a new skipper at the helm next year.

According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, while there has been speculation that Craig Counsell could take a year off from managing, the expectation is that he will be in a dugout in 2024. This could pave the way for Counsell to reunite with David Stearns in Queens.

As Heyman reported, Counsell's contract is set to expire after the season and he and the Milwaukee Brewers are expected to begin negotiations after the postseason. But this may create a competition between the Brewers and the Mets.

Counsell's Brewers are about to make the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons, despite playing in the 30th biggest market. This undeniably makes him an attractive target, who should draw interest from other teams beyond the Mets and Brewers.

Counsell is also the only manager that has ever worked under Stearns, which also makes him a fit with the Mets.

The Mets have the money to make Counsell the highest paid manager in baseball, which is currently held by Bruce Bochy ($6 million).

However, Counsell's family is comfortable in Wisconsin, where his two daughters are in high school, and his sons play college baseball at Michigan and Minnesota.

Even still, Counsell would make a major impact with the Mets and it would be surprising if Stearns didn't make a run at him this offseason.