Buck Showalter introduced as New York Mets' new manager

Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Former Baltimore Orioles skipper Buck Showalter was officially introduced as the New York Mets' next manager Tuesday.

Showalter, a three-time American League Manager of the Year, agreed to a three-year contract with the Mets on Saturday. He takes over for Luis Rojas, who was fired in October after back-to-back losing seasons at the helm of the club.

"The job description here isn't to be competitive or try to win more games than you lose. It's to be the last man standing," Showalter said Tuesday during his virtual news conference. "And not just once."

Showalter currently ranks 24th on MLB's all-time wins list for managers. He has managed three different clubs to the playoffs, though he has yet to capture a World Series championship.

Only current Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker and Gene Mauch have won more games without winning a World Series than Showalter, who started his career as a manager with the New York Yankees in 1992.

"It's not something that's going to define my life, but I can tell you this, it does wake me up every day now," Showalter said of winning a title.

Showalter becomes the fifth skipper of both the Yankees and Mets, joining Casey Stengel, Yogi Berra, Dallas Green and Joe Torre.

The 65-year-old Showalter also served as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-2000) and Texas Rangers (2003-06). He joined the Orioles in 2010 and last managed the team in 2018.