The Mets have announced that they mutually agreed to part ways with manager Carlos Beltran. This comes after many rumors and speculation over his status and involvement in the latest cheating scandal, and follows the firings of Jeff Luhnow and AJ Hinch as well as the mutual parting between Alex Cora and the Red Sox.
Below is a statement from Mets COO Jeff Wilpon and Mets Executive Vice President & General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen:
“We met with Carlos last night and again this morning and agreed to mutually part ways. This was not an easy decision. Considering the circumstances, it became clear to all parties that it was not in anyone’s best interest for Carlos to move forward as Manager of the New York Mets. We believe that Carlos was honest and forthcoming with us. We are confident that this will not be the final chapter in his baseball career. We remain excited about the talent on this team and are committed to reaching our goals of winning now and in the future.”
Statement from Carlos Beltrán
“At a meeting this morning with Jeff and Brodie we mutually agreed to part ways. I’m grateful to them for giving me the opportunity, but we agreed this decision is in the best interest of the team. I couldn’t let myself be a distraction for the team. I wish the entire organization success in the future.”
When Beltran was hired as a first-time manager just a couple short months ago, it would have been crazy to think that his managerial tenure would end before he even managed a single game. Beltran, who will undoubtedly go down as one of the best Mets in franchise history, was a beloved figure who, despite having no managerial experience, was mostly welcomed with open arms by the Mets’ fans and staff.
While Beltran’s involvement in the scandal has been known for some time, only recently has the issue truly come to light as Major League Baseball announced one-year suspensions to Luhnow and Hinch.
Beltran’s case is a tougher one to evaluate than that of Luhnow, Hinch, or Cora, as those men were all in positions of authority while Beltran was a player at the time of the scandal. However, he was a veteran player who younger players looked up to and who some even viewed as a coach in some ways.
Beltran was the only player specifically named in a statement by commissioner Rob Manfred, as part of a group of players who “discussed improving the team’s system of decoding signs and communicating them to the batter” (via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Beltran’s short-lived time as Mets manager will certainly come as a disappointment, as we will no longer get to see one of the all-time greatest Mets suit up in orange and blue for one last ride as a manager. The team will now have to hire a new manager, and will likely go back to one of its previous top candidates such as Luis Rojas.
