Carlos Beltran’s managerial tenure with the Mets concluded Thursday with zero wins, zero losses and one giant link to a cheating scheme.
After Beltran was included in MLB’s report on the Astros’ sign stealing, the Mets decided the rookie manager wasn’t fit to serve in the role for which he was hired. They parted ways with Beltran, though they officially termed the departure a mutual agreement.
Beltran became the third manager ousted, joining Houston’s A.J. Hinch and Boston’s Alex Cora, amid revelations the Astros used electronic surveillance to steal catchers’ signals in 2017, when they won the World Series. Beltran was an Astros player at the time. Also fired this week was Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow.
“As an organization it’s important for everybody to know we believe in fair competition and it’s important in professional sports,” Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. “We appreciate Major League Baseball’s thorough investigation, findings and decision.”
Van Wagenen said team brass was unaware of the Astros’ link to illegal sign stealing when Beltran interviewed for the job and didn’t become aware of the situation until a report from The Athletic outlined the situation on Nov. 12. In the two months since that report, Van Wagenen said the Mets stayed clear of the topic with Beltran, allowing MLB to complete its investigation into the matter.
It wasn’t until Beltran’s name appeared in Manfred’s report this week, according to team COO Jeff Wilpon, that the Mets became concerned about the situation.
“We heard from sources that Carlos was not going to be suspended,” Wilpon said. “I think the change came when the report did come out how prominent he was in it.”
Wilpon and Van Wagenen convened with MLB officials on Wednesday in New York before flying to Port St. Lucie, Fla., where Beltran had been in meetings with coaches to prepare for spring training. The decision to part ways was reached Wednesday, according to Wilpon, but both sides gave it an extra night of sleep before finalizing the separation. The Post has learned Beltran will not be paid by the Mets, but the club will instead make a $200,000 donation to his foundation. Wilpon was also asked what role prospective owner Steve Cohen, who has been in negotiations to become the team’s majority owner, played in the decision.
“My process is to take the organization through the due diligence and everything we did here and then report to Fred [Wilpon] and that’s what I did,” Jeff Wilpon said.
Beltran’s appeal to Mets officials was the credibility he brought to the organization, but that became damaged given his link to the illegal sign stealing. There was also worry that Beltran’s ability to give the team an edge through his awareness and baseball acumen would be compromised.
Beltran, in separate text message exchanges with The Post in November, had denied wrongdoing in the illegal sign-stealing caper. In recent days at least one team official had urged Beltran to step forward, admit wrongdoing and apologize. But Beltran never got to that point until after his departure from the organization, when he issued a statement.
“Over my 20 years in the game I’ve always taken pride in being a leader and doing things the right way,” Beltran said. “As a veteran player on the team I should have recognized the severity of the issue and truly regret the actions that were taken. I am a man of faith and integrity and what took place did not demonstrate those characteristics that are so very important to me and my family.
“I am very sorry. It’s not who I am as a father, a husband, a teammate and as an educator. The Mets organization and I mutually agrees to part ways, moving forward for the greater good with no further distractions. I hope that at some point in some time I’ll have an opportunity to return to this game that I love so much.”
The Mets are left to hire a third manager in 27 months. Beltran earlier this offseason replaced Mickey Callaway, who was fired with one year remaining on his contract. Callaway had replaced the longest-tenured manager in franchise history, Terry Collins, in October 2017.
Van Wagenen said he will consider internal and external candidates for the position. Other finalists for the job this offseason included ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez and Nationals first base coach Tim Bogar. Another finalist, Derek Shelton, was hired to manage the Pirates. Internally, the Mets could look toward bench coach Hensley Meulens, quality control coach Luis Rojas and first base coach Tony DeFrancesco. Buck Showalter and Dusty Baker are two veteran names available with accomplished résumés. White Sox bench coach “Super” Joe McEwing, a finalist for the job when Callaway was hired, has told acquaintances that managing the Mets would be his dream job. McEwing attended college in New Jersey and played for the Mets in the early 2000s.
“This team is one that we believe in,” Van Wagenen said. “This team is one that we believe can contend and we want to make sure we have the right support system around them to achieve their success.”