With the Mets wrapping up their first round of managerial interviews via Zoom, the final, in-person round could begin as soon as this weekend, and will commence early next week at the very latest.
The Mets considered seven candidates: Buck Showalter, Matt Quatraro, Don Kelly, Bob Geren, Joe Espada, Brad Ausmus, and Clayton McCullough. The New York Post first reported that McCullough, the Dodgers’ first base coach, interviewed Thursday.
The next step will be in-person interviews and will include owner Steve Cohen. Cohen was not directly involved in the first phase.
Those interviews have not yet been scheduled, but could come as early as this weekend, according to a person familiar with the plans. Cohen, never one to wait for Monday morning, met with and offered the GM job to Billy Eppler over a recent weekend.
A source said that the second round will include no more than three candidates. And, according to multiple officials involved in the process, Showalter stands a strong chance of getting the job. His interview on Wednesday went well, and assuaged some of the concerns that the team had about his willingness to incorporate analytics and manage the modern player.
While Showalter does not fit the mold of a candidate like, say, Espada, Quatraro, and Geren, who have direct experience applying cutting-edge data to game strategy, the Mets feel that his experience fits what the team needs.
Cohen has already spent roughly $270 million on next season’s payroll in an effort to win immediately. The team is therefore seeking a manager with the gravitas and experience to help the owner maximize that investment.