Is Pete Walker heading to New York? Report suggests Mets may consider Blue Jays pitching coach to be next manager

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/12/2021 (1430 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Well-respected Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker is apparently under consideration to become the new manager of the New York Mets.

According to a report from MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, Walker is “one name to remember” as the Mets conduct their ongoing search after they previously parted ways with Luis Rojas at the end of the 2021 season.

The Mets began the interview process earlier this week, but it’s not immediately clear whether they’ve officially reached out to Walker. The search remains in its early stages and a final decision isn’t expected to be made by general manager Billy Eppler until next week at the earliest.

Buck Showalter has long been considered the favourite to land the job. According to insider Jon Heyman, Showalter interviewed on Wednesday and reports have been circulating for the last several days that he’s the preferred pick of the recently signed Max Scherzer. Other reports suggest Showalter has the support of owner Steve Cohen.

That would seem to rule out the Mets taking a serious run at Walker, but it’s possible that could change if a deal with Showalter does not materialize. Despite the Mets’ reported interest in the veteran manager, they have been considering other candidates as well, including Brad Ausmus and Matt Quatraro, who had interviews earlier this week. That list could grow in the coming days.

The only thing that’s certain here is if the Mets express interest in Walker, the Jays won’t get in their way. Under previous president Paul Beeston, the Jays had a policy of not allowing their employees to leave for lateral jobs with other teams. No such policy exists under Mark Shapiro, and even if it did, a promotion to manager wouldn’t apply.

Of course, just because the Jays wouldn’t stop Walker from talking with the Mets doesn’t mean they have any interest in watching him leave. The 52-year-old has been an integral part of the organization since he was hired as the bullpen coach in 2011. The following year, he was promoted to pitching coach, a position he has held ever since while working alongside three managers.

Walker has developed a strong reputation as someone who has been able to blend new school and old school approaches to the game. He has a traditional coaching background after working his way up through the Jays’ minor-league system and the former big-league reliever has since embraced the analytical and advanced metrics side of pitching as well.

There was a lot of praise this past season for Walker’s work with American League Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, who posted a 6.62 ERA last season before completely turning his career around with a 13-7 record and 2.84 ERA in 2021. Other pitchers who have thrived under Walker’s watch include Alek Manoah, Steven Matz, Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ just to name a few.

It’s believed that Walker’s last contract extension made him one of the top paid pitching coaches in the league. The Jays clearly value his contributions and would hate to lose him just at the team enters an extended window of opportunity to challenge for a spot in the post-season.

Walker seems to have enjoyed the organization’s resurgence as well. He was the Jays pitching coach during their back-to-back runs to the postseason in 2015-16. The three years that followed were more challenging to endure, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for this promising young roster.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

The Warm-Up

Winnipeg Jets Game Days

On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.

Sign up for The Warm-Up

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

“Even though we’ve had some peaks and valley’s overall with our pitching staff, we’re in a good place right now,” Walker said towards the end of the 2021 season.

“I think the guys are feeding off each other, it’s contagious, one after the other they love taking the ball and picking each other up, and our bullpen’s coming together right now, too. I’m excited about what we bring to the table every night from a pitching standing.”

That should continue next year as well with a rotation that includes Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Manoah and one still to be determined pitcher. That starting five has the chance to be one of the best in the AL and the Jays would have no interest in seeing anyone other than Walker lead them through the upcoming year.

Losing Walker would be bad news, but based on the early reporting out of New York, it might not be something the Jays have to worry about. If both Cohen and Scherzer are clamouring for Showalter, there’s a good chance that’s exactly who they’ll get.

Gregor Chisholm is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @GregorChisholm or reach him via email: gchisholm@thestar.ca