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Buck Showalter discusses Francisco Alvarez, Brandon Nimmo, Mets’ desire to return to playoffs

Oct 8, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets manager Buck Showalter (11) before game two of the Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 8, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets manager Buck Showalter (11) before game two of the Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / © Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking at the 2023 Thurman Munson Awards, Buck Showalter, who was an honoree at the 43rd annual event, discussed his team as he gets set to embark on his second year as Mets manager.

After losing in the Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres, Showalter and the Mets are ready to start fresh and chase their first World Series championship since 1986. In fact, they’ve been ready since the last out of their disappointing exit last season.

“I always chuckle when someone says ‘it’s the offseason,’ there’s no offseason. We’ve been going at it since the day after the last game because we want to get a chance to roll the dice again in October,” Showalter said. “And it’s a competitive place with the best 30 teams of players in the world. So, there’s such a fine line of separation and what might appear on paper doesn’t matter, you got to go get it.”

One player whom the Mets and fans believe will help in this endeavor is Francisco Alvarez.

The 2022 No. 1 overall prospect in baseball, Alvarez made his debut last year towards the end of the regular season and turned some heads with his power. Although he went just 2-for-12, the catcher went deep at Citi Field, hitting a mammoth home run against the Washington Nationals, just like he had done so often in the minors.

Now, it’s all about his defense.

“I think he has the skills to be able to say when, not if,” Showalter said. “But a lot of it is going to be the defensive part of it and you know what a prospect list is, it’s a prospect list and the biggest jump in sports is from the minor leagues to the big leagues in baseball.

“But with that being said, we think Francisco not only has a chance to be a quality player, but a quality teammate and that’s the constant thing you hear, how much pitchers like throwing to him and how engaged he is and so that part of it speaks well for him. But he’s gonna enter into that area of expectations, so we’ll see.”

Another player with high expectations this season is Brandon Nimmo, whom the Mets inked to an eight-year, $162 million deal earlier this offseason.

Also an honoree at this year’s Thurman Munson Awards, Nimmo figures to slot right back into center field for…

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