Joe Espada is on Mets List of Managerial Candidates

Andy Martino of SNY reports that Astros’ bench coach Joe Espada is on the Mets list of managerial candidates. Espada is the only candidate that’s been confirmed to be on the list to this point.

Mets GM Billy Eppler told reporters during the Max Scherzer introduction Zoom that he had a “wide list” of manager candidates that he was going to go over with owner Steve Cohen in the near future.

Espada, 46, did work for a year in the Yankees organization with Eppler back in 2014. As the Angels’ GM Eppler interviewed Espada for the manager opening, though Brad Ausmus was ultimately hired for the job.

Espada has spent the last four seasons as the Astros bench coach, with Houston making it to the World Series in two of those years. Though Espada has no big league manager experience, he has managed multiple teams in Winter Ball action.

The former second round pick (of the A’s when Sandy Alderson was GM) was the third base coach of team Puerto Rico in the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classics. That 2017 team featured three current Mets, in Francisco Lindor, Edwin Diaz, and Seth Lugo.

Though his name hasn’t been confirmed yet, former Orioles manager Buck Showalter has been hot name all over baseball –including Mets fans on Twitter– for the Mets gig. Former big leaguer Adam Jones spoke his praise earlier on Friday.

MMO will have more names for you as we hear them!