The Buck stops in Flushing.
The Mets have hired Buck Showalter to be their next manager, owner Steve Cohen announced on Twitter Saturday. Showalter received a three-year deal, The Post’s Joel Sherman reported.
The 65-year-old succeeds Luis Rojas and brings a wealth of experience and credibility to the dugout for a team that is looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Showalter, the former Yankees, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Orioles manager, returns to the game for the first time since being fired by Baltimore in 2018. He beat out finalists Joe Espada and Matt Quatraro, who also met with owner Steve Cohen earlier this week during the second round of interviews.
The hiring of Showalter marks the Mets’ latest crucial addition this offseason, which began by hiring general manager Billy Eppler in November. They then signed four major league free agents before the lockout, headlined by three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, who was said to have high respect for Showalter.
Now, Showalter will be tasked with pulling off his latest turnaround as manager, especially for a team that has had its share of controversies on and off the field in recent years in addition to underperformance. In each of his past managerial stops — taking over three teams coming off losing seasons, like the Mets are, and the first-year expansion Diamondbacks — Showalter had his teams over .500 by the second year.
Showalter will also have to fill out his coaching staff. The only holdover from Rojas’ staff is pitching coach Jeremy Hefner.
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