3 MLB teams who should hire Gabe Kapler after Giants firing

No. 1 team that should hire Gabe Kapler: Mets

The New York Mets in 2023 had the highest payroll and one of the most talented teams in all of MLB. They failed to make the postseason and need to hire a new manager if they want to be contenders.

The Mets' current manager is Buck Showalter, who failed to take them past the first round of the 2022 postseason after collapsing at the end of the season and giving the Braves the division. The end-of-season collapse forced them into a best-of-three wild-card game versus the San Diego Padres, which they lost 2-1.

After an early exit in the 2022 postseason, they decided to spend even more money, signing top free agent pitcher Justin Verlander, while also extending Center Fielder Brandon Nimmo. They thought spending the most would make them contenders, but that logic failed, and in 2023, they got even worse.

In this 2023 season, the Mets fell apart and decided to trade away quite a few players, including Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Mark Canha, and others. They decided to remove much of the salary after not becoming contenders, and since then, they’ve hit a new low point, now holding a record of 72-86.

The Mets wanted a long-time manager and decided on Showalter, who retired with the Baltimore Orioles after the 2018 season. He never won anything in his now 22-year career, but they decided to give him a shot despite running the Orioles into the ground, finishing with a record of 47-115 in 2018.

Showalter was and always will be a losing manager who lucks into having a good team, and the Mets are starting to realize this as it seems his time is limited with talks they could go after another manager from the Milwaukee Brewers in Craig Counsell. But instead of Counsell, they should pursue Gabe Kapler, who has less experience, but more success with fewer weapons.