Buck Showalter opens up about Mets' closer vacancy, bullpen flexibility

With Edwin Diaz gone for what is likely to be the entire 2023 season, Buck Showalter and the Mets will start the year without a defined closer.

New York does have a few candidates who can step up and evolve into that role later on in the season – some that have even closed games in the past – but for now, with Opening Day less than 24 hours away, Showalter is fine with not putting labels on anything.

“I’m hoping there’s a certain organization about it that they’ll know,” he said Wednesday. “I think they have a feel for it. A lot of times the game will dictate it and I think they know what we’re talking about. We’ve made it pretty clear how we’re gonna go about it.”

So, while Showalter didn’t name one player in particular to take the reins at the end of a game, he has talked to all of his relievers about how the team plans on going about it.

Out of the gate, that plan could be one pitcher getting the bulk of the save chances. Of Showalter’s options, David Robertson is the most experienced in the role and has the most saves with 157, including 20 last season.

But Showalter also proved last season that he’s more than willing to use pitchers in different roles, depending on how the batting order falls in the later stages of a game or what he feels is the bigger situation.

“I want to have a flexible bullpen and the biggest thing is trying to keep them all healthy but at the same time put our best foot forward,” Showalter said. “Unfortunately, the season and the games don’t always cooperate with you so we’re gonna have to sit down and look at it after every game and see what’s our best foot each day.”

Does that mean Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley, Drew Smith, Tommy Hunter or even John Curtiss might get some save chances, along with Robertson? Aside from Smith, all of those pitchers have saved a game in the majors before, so it wouldn’t be out of the question.

“I think a lot of it is gonna depend on who’s healthy, who’s physically fit that day and where we are in the lineup and what’s going on,” Showalter said. “It might evolve into something.”

In fact, Showalter even said he’s on the lookout for a player to show him something he may not have expected to see.

“You’re always looking for somebody who’s a little different than you might’ve perceived him,” he said. “We got a couple of those guys.”

Another obstacle that Showalter will have to navigate in the bullpen this year is who will be able to take over the role of long-relief, one in which Trevor Williams did so gracefully last season.

“That’s gonna be a challenge for us,” Showalter said. “That’s the one [area] that we’re gonna need. I’m hoping [Stephen] Nogo(sek) and Tommy can do that. They showed they could, whether or not they can do it at the level that Williams did it, that’s gonna be very challenging.”

Aside from discussing the bullpen post-Diaz, Showalter also talked about this season in general and the expectations that have come with the Mets in 2023.

The biggest of those expectations is a World Series trophy at the end of the year, driven by owner Steve Cohen’s large spending in free agency this offseason.

“All the expectations, all that stuff, the game is played between the lines and I think everybody knows that,” Showalter said. “We’ve had some curveballs thrown at us this spring with a starter and a closer and I think our guys know that we don’t sit around and talk about it. Everybody’s got a problem but people will dwell on whatever they want to dwell on… I don’t think anybody can put higher expectations on us than our players do, regardless of what the payroll may say.”

As far as World Series or bust?

“That’s why we’re suiting up everyday,” Showalter said. “That’s what we’re trying to do. So are the Marlins, so are the Washington Nationals, so are the Braves and Philadelphia. It’s gonna be hard. It was hard last year, it’ll be hard this year.”