Mets' Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso react to manager Buck Showalter's departure

After the Mets ended a disappointing 2023 season with a 9-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on Sunday, several prominent players spoke to the media about the announcement that came before the game that manager Buck Showalter would not be returning for a third season with the club.

"I know the players will give the next manager the same respect and chance and honor just like they did me after [Luis Rojas],” Showalter said after the game. “It’s not always fair and we shoulda played better, simple as that.”

He added: “Somebody’s walking into a great situation here… and I’ll be pulling for ‘em I can tell you that.”

Here is what they had to say about Showalter's departure, his time as manager and the introduction of David Stearns as the next president of baseball operations:

Shortstop Francisco Lindor

The shortstop said he had a conversation with Showalter and that it was "emotional" when he found out the manager would not return in 2024.

"It's one of those where you hope you don't have those conversations, but he was a true professional and let us know before the world knew,” Lindor said. “Once again he was very accountable and I appreciate him. I love him and it was one of those conversations where there was a lot of seconds with like silence and then him saying what he thought and his beliefs.”

Lindor, who is signed with the club through the 2031 season, said he did not speak to Mets management before the decision was made about wanting to keep Showalter next year.

“There was no conversations about it,” Lindor said. “That's their job. I'm here to play baseball. My job is to be the best baseball player, the best shortstop I can be. I told you guys I love him and I don't want him to go anywhere.”

Lindor added: “I was surprised and there’s nothing wrong with it. The organization has done an amazing job on things not getting leaked and that’s a big improvement. This was one of those where it was in the moment, and I found out in the moment and I was surprised.”

When asked if he is OK with this move and whether or not the organization is doing the right thing moving forward, Lindor said: “I trust in the organization. I said this from Day 1, I trust in what they gonna do. One of the things Buck said was, ‘You guys will be OK,’ and I trust him. I trust that [GM Billy Eppler} and Stearns, and [owner Steve Cohen] are going to guide us in the direction it's going to end up very successful."

On their decision to part ways with Showalter, Lindor added: “I’m sad, I’m sad. I’m too emotional to tell you now if it is right or wrong. With that being said, it’s a decision that comes from above. It’s out of my reach, in a way. I can’t tell you right now if it’s the right or wrong decision. Do I like it? No, it doesn't feel good. It doesn’t feel good to have a man that you love, that my family loves be without a job. I hate seeing people lose their jobs. As a guy that post-up every day, and I told him from day one, you gonna post-up I’m gonna post-up. He let me be Francisco Lindor, and I appreciate that. He let my daughter run around and love on him, and I appreciate that."

Lindor said that the job Showalter did in the clubhouse was “amazing” amid the challenging year:

“He did a really good job. He was a true professional. He was a true leader. He held us accountable, he held himself accountable and I learned a lot from him. I’ve been fortunate enough to play for Tito [Francona] and him, that are very similar and probably in my mind Hall of Fame managers. I don’t think I wanna manage, but if in 10 years I want to go in that route, I learned from good ones.”

The veteran shortstop said he learned from Showalter: “Accountability, professionalism, there’s multiple ways of leading. And he doesn’t let you know what he’s thinking. And that’s pretty cool.”

Lindor added that he would be sticking around in the area over the next few days and have exit interviews with ownership, management and the front office before he hopes to have a conversation with the incoming president of baseball operations.

“I will be around and be talking with him … I’m sure he’ll contact me or I’ll reach out to him,” Lindor said.

On Showatler, Lindor closed his comments by saying, “I wish it didn’t happen like that, I wish he was still here.”

First baseman Pete Alonso

Alonso said he “was really upset” to hear that Showalter was not returning.

"He's an unbelievable manager. I think he's a great mentor. I think that he does a great job of understanding his personnel, not just their talents and what they do day-to-day on the field, but I think he understands how each guy ticks on the roster as an individual,” he said. “But again, that’s something that’s out of my control. My experience playing under Buck I think he’s a Hall of Fame manager, and I feel very fortunate and very blessed. I think he’s had a tremendous impact.

"And I know it’s something that I can’t necessarily be, I don’t know what I’m trying to say, but that’s something that’s completely out of my control. For me, I’m just really happy that [my time with him] happened, as opposed to more upset that he's gone. So for me, I really enjoyed having Buck. … He has an excellent perspective on the game of baseball. For his future and his family, I just wish him and his family the best. And he had just such a positive impact on me as a person and as a baseball player.”

The first baseman, who is only under contract with the club through the end of next season, said that Showalter told him personally, which “was nice to be able to talk to him and hear straight for him as opposed to hearing something on social media … it was nice to hear from him and it’s really unfortunate.”

“And, for me, it’s upsetting because I know how awesome of a manager he is. Like last year he was a huge, critical part of us making the playoffs and I think he’s an excellent leader and excellent evaluator of personalities not just as well as talent. It’s unfortunate, but obviously, with new management, they’re gonna choose whatever direction they’re gonna wanna go in,” Alonso said.

As for what comes next, Alonso said that he hopes the Mets’ next manager is somebody who can evaluate talent and evaluate guys as different personalities and “whatever the plan is, don’t deviate.”

“Just be a leader, be steadfast and be a steady leader,” he added, “that’s something that the game of baseball … because there’s so many ups and downs, you need to have someone who is super even-keeled and someone who’s ready to go through the dips and valleys, not get too high and too low, just be super steady and easy and super consistent in their leadership capabilities.”

Alonso said that “he was surprised, for sure,” but not by the timing of the move before the last game of the season.

“For me, the timing doesn’t matter. But I guess as the offseason goes on, obviously with new management, things change and that’s something that’s happened a bunch in my big league career. When there’s a front office change there’s personnel change. It’s par for the course in that regard, it’s unfortunate, but that’s just part of the business of baseball,” he said.

Center fielder Brandon Nimmo

Nimmo said his reaction was “obviously sad” to hear the news about Showalter and that he was surprised to hear he was being let go right before his last game, calling it “interesting timing.”

“We’ve really grown with a really great relationship. Really sad to see him go. We understand that with Dave coming in and being able to do his own thing that, that was a possibility. Still a sad day,” he said, “... because feel like had a great relationship with Buck and just a year ago he led us to 101 wins. Kind of crazy that just one year later we’re saying goodbye to that relationship.”

“I’m wishing him the best in everything he does. Unbelievable individual, unbelievable coach, unbelievable manager. And really helped me to grow in the game and learn things that I don’t think I woulda learned without him. I’ll always be thankful to Buck for what he’s done for me.”

Nimmo added: “When things aren’t going well in New York, things happen and they happen quickly. So it’s just our job as players to try and not let these things happen again.”

And on that, Nimmo said it falls on the players.

"In my opinion, it all falls on us,” the center fielder said. “... I don't really feel like Buck was the problem. I’ve been around this business long enough, and it’s not that long time but it’s long in baseball to know people end up going and there might not be the real hard-core reason behind it but people have to fall. That’s the unfortunate part of this business. And everything that Buck does he tries to handle it very professionally. That’s one of the things I really admired about him.

“In this market, it’s really hard to just keep it professional all the time because you have a lot of different things pulling you a lot of different directions … it’s a big job and he’s done it very well. And I think he’s been a professional to the utmost of the word in this market.

“So it is tough to see him go, because I feel like obviously, it came down to us. We didn’t perform to the way were supposed to, we didn’t meet the expectations that we were supposed to as the team and as the players. So yeah, I do feel like we had something to do with him being (departed).”

Nimmo said, “I’ll always remember Buck in a very good light and have fond memories of him."