Former Yankees manager and current YES Network analyst Buck Showalter has been among the higher profile names in the Mets’ managerial search.
Throw one more ex-Yankee in there.
The Mets have reached out to interview current Astros bench coach Joe Espada, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Espada served as a special assistant to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman in 2014. In 2015, he was moved to third base coach and infield coordinator. Espada was instrumental in the scouting process that helped the Yankees decide to acquire Didi Gregorius to take over when Derek Jeter retired.
MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports “Brad Ausmus, Joe Espada, Matt Quatraro and Buck Showalter are all expected to receive interviews for the Mets’ open managerial job, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.”
Heyman reports “Ausmus is believed to have interviewed (Monday) for the Mets manager job, via zoom — the leadoff man in the process that should move quickly (since it’s got the team’s total focus in the lockout). ... Quatraro is up next for Mets.”
As for Espada, the Mets aren’t the only team interested in him. The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli reports ”Oakland A’s managerial candidates who have or are expected to interview soon: Mark Kotsay, Matt Quatraro, Will Venable, Joe Espada, Marcus Jensen and Darren Bush, sources tell me and @Ken_Rosenthal. Kotsay, Jensen and Bush all currently with the organization.”
Mets new general manager Billy Eppler was Cashman’s assistant GM when Espada was around the Bronx.
Espada has been Houston’s bench coach since 2017. He’s interviewed for managerial jobs with the Rangers and Cubs. The 46-year-old was also a coach in the Marlins system, eventually becoming their third base coach, and he lives in Jupiter, Fla., which is close to the Mets’ spring training home in Port St. Lucie.
Heyman also reported that the Mets’ managerial interviews began Monday, though it wasn’t clear who received the first interview.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are still waiting to finalize their coaching staff. The team fired three off its coaches at the end of the season, including both hitting coaches and their third base coach.
On Nov. 15, the Yankees announced that they hired ex-Mets manager Luis Rojas to be their third base coach and outfield coordinator. Rojas was the Mets’ manager in 2021 and 2020. He took over after Carlos Beltran was canned before even managing a single game following the revelation of his conduct during the Astros’ cheating scandal.
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Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com.
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