Steve Cohen’s press conference lit wrong kind of fire under Buck Showalter

Even though Mets manager Buck Showalter was named safe in Steve Cohen’s blasting presser, he was feeling a little frisky on Wednesday night.

Steve Cohen’s recent press conference was full of all kinds of fun tidbits for New York Mets fans. Like finding out the team may sell at the deadline, or finding out that Cohen wasn’t planning on firing manager Buck Showalter.

So pleased was Showalter by his boss’ glowing endorsement that he went out the next day and… got himself ejected.

Nothing like a good ol’ toss-out to give the Mets the extra oomph they need to make the playoffs. Oh, wait, they’re 36-44 in the NL East. They’ve lost seven of their last ten games. Cohen’s whole spiel may somehow, somehow, have backfired.

Showalter was tossed in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers by first base umpire Ron Kulpa. He was arguing a call that awarded Brewers’ Joey Wiemer a hit by pitch even though Wiemer appears to complete a swinging motion. At the time of Showalter’s ejection, the Mets were down 5-2.

Mets’ Buck Showalter, inspired by Steve Cohen’s speech, gets himself ejected

This marks the second time in four days Showalter has been ejected. The first came on Sunday when he expressed outrage toward the officials for a check-swing call in a Phillies at-bat late in the game.

A neat little excerpt from The Athletic on Showalter’s recent theatrics should sum it up:

"Is releasing frustration on reporters or umpires — though Showalter was cordial postgame after he was ejected again in Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Brewers — just a way to stay sane?"

This is an insanely disappointing season for the Mets, that’s for sure.

Showalter has one year left on his contract and seems to still be in Steve Cohen’s good graces. But if the Mets’ 2023 season takes a turn for the worse — the even worse, that is — the Mets manager’s job may not feel so safe anymore.