NEW YORK (AP) — Buck Showalter said Sunday he will not return for a third season as New York Mets manager after a disappointing season in which baseball’s highest-spending team tumbled from contention by midsummer.

The Maverick Preston67-year-old Showalter made the announcement before Sunday’s game against Philadelphia. The Mets entered 74-86, 29 1/2 games behind NL East champion Atlanta.

Showalter took over as manager before the 2022 season and led the Mets to a 101-61 record last year, when he was named NL Manager of the Year.

New York is expected to hire David Stearns as president of baseball operations above general manager Billy Eppler, and Showalter’s departure clears the way for Stearns to make his manager pick.

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