After finishing the season with an extremely disappointing 77-85 record when many people expected them to make a deep postseason run, the New York Mets decided that it was time for a change in the manager position.
The Mets declined their 2022 contract option on manager Luis Rojas, less than a day after completing another losing season and missing the playoffs. “These decisions are never easy,†president Sandy Alderson said in a statement. “But we feel a change is needed at this time.â€
Between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Rojas ended up with a 103-119 record, and finished fourth last year and third in the present campaign. He was always liked and respected by his players, many of which he managed in the minor leagues, but ultimately couldn’t land the Mets in October.
Alderson now wants to give his next president of baseball operations the freedom to hire the manager he/she likes.
The Mets’ next step
That position is expected to be filled by the Mets in the next few weeks. Several candidates have already popped out in rumors, most notably Theo Epstein, who took two much-maligned franchises, the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs, to the championship in the 2000s and 2010s.
The Mets want Rojas to stay in the organization in a different, yet to be specified role.
“I want to share such heartfelt gratitude to so many in the Mets organization for not only the last two seasons as manager, but for the last 16 years in a variety of roles,†Rojas said in a statement. “In each and every position I held, striving for excellence was our daily mission. I will always hold the relationships and friendships, developed over the years, dear to my heart, and am forever grateful to have been able to wear the Mets uniform for so long.â€
“He is a good man who represented the Mets with dignity and calm during two extremely trying years,” Mets’ owner Steve Cohen tweeted on Monday.