BALTIMORE — Carlos Beltran remains the only player punished for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal during their 2017 World Series championship run.
His role in Houston cost him the job as the manager of the Mets and tarnished his reputation throughout the game.
Now he’s back in baseball — to a degree — as an analyst with the YES Network. Tuesday he said he’s unsure if he’ll get another chance to get back into the dugout — or if he even wants one.
“Honestly, I’m taking this step-by-step,’’ Beltran said of his future in the game. “I think if I show interest, there are gonna be opportunities. Right now, I’m satisfied with what I’m doing. I want to give [broadcasting] a shot and see where it goes. … But I might want to really pursue being back [in the dugout]. I have to make a decision and decide what I want. Right now, I don’t really know. But I love being around baseball.”
His former manager, AJ Hinch, was fired by the Astros following MLB’s investigation, but is now back with the Tigers.
Beltran said he’s still bothered about being singled out after being promised immunity from the league because of his cooperation with the investigation.
“I don’t really want to get deep into that,” Beltran said at Camden Yards before the Yankees faced the Orioles. “I would not go anywhere with that. I hope people have seen how I feel about how everything played out and the person I am. What happened, everyone knows what happened. It was a team. The fact I was in trouble [as the only player], that’s the hard part. But I’ve got to move forward.”
He said he did not discuss the ’17 scandal with the Yankees players who were on that team.
“I didn’t have to,’’ Beltran said. “They’ve been great. I’m happy with the way they’re playing. That’s the most important thing.”
Aaron Judge said this spring he welcomed Beltran back in spite of what happened in Houston. Beltran, though, knows his standing with fans will never fully be the same.
“That’s a battle I will not win,’’ Beltran said. “No matter how much I try to excuse what I did in the whole situation, I will not win. I know that when I’m around [the ballpark] and around the players, they acknowledge me and shake my hand. The perception I had from the fans, I lost some of that. The relationships I built in the game are intact.”
Including the one he has with Brian Cashman, despite the fact the general manager has been among the most outspoken about the Astros’ scandal in the years since the scandal came to light.
Most recently, Cashman has gotten into a back-and-forth with Astros owner Jim Crane after Cashman said the Yankees could be considered AL champions from 2017 because of how serious Houston’s sins were that season.
“We’re cool,’’ Beltran said of he and Cashman. “He has to say what he has to say. He’s the general manager of the New York Yankees. He has to do what he has to do. At the end of the day, we shake hands and it’s sincere. … All I have for Cashman is love.”
So does Beltran consider the Yankees the AL champs?
“I’m telling you, he has to say what he has to say,” Beltran said of the GM. “I’m OK with it. There’s nothing I can say to that. They had a good team [and] the Astros had a good team and were still good the year after. They’re still good now. They’re talented.”
And if standing in front of the visitors’ dugout preparing for a broadcast is as close as he gets back to being in the game, Beltran said that’s fine, too.
“I’m OK with that,’’ Beltran said. “I get to be with my family and I’m here now. I just love being around the game. The love I get from players, I like it.”