The Mets made a significant investment in Max Scherzer during free agency in 2023. Now, he expects the team to make another significant investment as the Mets attempt to become World Series contenders once again.

New York still needs to hire a manager to replace the late Luis Rojas. If Scherzer has his way, that man would be Buck Showalter, according to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Ragazzo.

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It’s unclear if Scherzer’s preference will count toward filling the vacancy, but it’s worth noting that the Mets signed him to a record contract. He will earn $ 130 million in three years. That median annual value of $ 43.3 million makes him the highest-paid player per year in MLB history.

As such, Scherzer’s opinion probably carries some weight, even though the 37-year-old has recently joined the team.

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Showalter, 65, is arguably one of the best manager candidates on the market. He has 20 years of MLB managerial experience and has coached the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Orioles throughout his career. He has won the American League Manager of the Year award three times and has a career record of 1,551-1,517.

The only flaw in Showalter’s resume is that he has never appeared in a World Series. He has led his teams to just five postseason appearances, but came close to winning the World Series with the Orioles in 2014.

Showalter has worked as an analyst for the MLB Network since leaving the Orioles, so that’s something worth considering. However, he has had multiple layoffs spanning several years while managing. That includes a couple of years during which he helped build the Diamondbacks expansion in 1996 and 1997, a three-year stint with ESPN after leaving Arizona, and a few years during which he consulted with the Guardians and returned to ESPN.

So Showalter has experience with extended absences from the dugout. You should get it right if asked to come back.

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The Mets aren’t just looking at Showalter as their vacant manager position. Six candidates are expected to be interviewed for the job, according to MLB.com. They are as follows:

  • Buck Showalter, former Orioles manager
  • Brad Ausmus, former Angels, Tigers coach
  • Joe Espada, Astros bench coach
  • Bob Geren, Dodgers bench coach, former Athletics manager
  • Don Kelly, Pirates bench coach
  • Matt Quatraro, Rays bench coach

We’ll soon see if Scherzer fulfills his wish or if new Mets general manager Billy Eppler selects another man for the job.